Mass Effect: Creed (Omega-4 Arc)
by Sutori-Artifex
Summary: 173 years have passed since Desmond Miles gave his life for the survival of Humanity. Since then he has become a martyr for the Brotherhood, who gave their all and, when Humanity reaches for the stars, they take their place behind the scenes of Galactic History. Join one group of Assassins as they fight alongside the crew of the Normandy for a mission with impossible odds...
1. Prologue

**Chapter One: In Which we Catch up on Recent Events**

**Sutori-Artifex here! So I decided to rewrite the first chapter of my story, Mass Effect: Creed, to describe what happened between the histories of Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect. Starting with the 2012 CME that Desmond stopped, I wrote an entire 170 years of history detailing world events and how the Assassins and Templars affected them.**

**_WARNING_****: A lot of this is going to include a bit of an original story as mentally invented by me. Only thing keeping it from being on FictionPress instead of Fanfiction is the fact that it's all in a fictional timeline for Assassins Creed after ACIV: Black Flag. AT THE TIME OF WRITING, AC UNITY HAS YET TO BE RELEASED! I have no idea what Ubisoft had planned for the Present-Day storyline of that game. Sorry if it deviates. I might come back and run an edit if it doesn't conflict too much.**

**Multiple events on this intro are completely fictional and are not designed to offend anyone, such as the Third World War. Technically it's a Chekhov's Gun at the moment. It will have relevance later in the story, but given it's occurrence between 2012 and 2185 I wanted to include it. The Official Mass Effect Timeline leaves a considerable gap between 1921 and 2069 CE. I took my liberties to do whatever I wanted here.**

**Also: Because I can't find anything regarding the date (month-wise) in Mass Effect 2, the events of the ME2 Shepard story-arc begin on September 20th, 2185. Note that days and even weeks can go by between chapters.**

* * *

**[LOCATION REDACTED]: Earth, December 21st, 2012**

_"It's some sort of… global Aurora Borealis, never seen anything like this, before. Eyewitnesses describe electrical storms and erratic displays of unusual weather. Residents are being asked to remain inside and wait for…"_ said a crackling voice over a radio as it was cut off briefly.

_"Geological surveys are now reporting seismic activity throughout the Ring of Fire… Northeastern Canada is said to be experiencing the largest on record… sateillites and transformers are failing as the flare increases in intensity. Worldwide reports of blackouts and…" _the radio continued, being cut off once more in a little burst of static.

"Get those backup generators going, now!" said a man in a white business suit, throwing an arm in the air aimlessly in the dark as emergency lighting came on to guide his path to a blacked out monitor. "We can't afford to lose this equipment! Pray to whatever gods or God you believe in that _they_ found a way to fix this!" he added, straightening his red silk tie.

After what felt like an hour of toil, which in reality should have been half that, the lights of the room flickered back on, much to everyone's relief. The radio's static started to fade, being replaced with further news broadcasting.

_"…seems to be receding. Residual seismic and volcanic activity is being reported, but nothing approaching earlier levels. Obviously it will be a while before experts are able to assess the full extent of the damage caused by today's events. But it appears the worst… is behind us. We'll be sure to bring you more as this story develops."_

Needless to say, the entire building erupted with cheers and cries of mixed joy, residual feelings of incredulity, and the accompanying relief.

The suited man smiled and turned. "You did a damn good job, Desmond. Damn good job," he murmured under his breath and he walked away from the monitor, which displayed news feed from multiple countries regarding the almost catastrophic events that had unfolded.

William Miles would definitely be contacted after the commotion died down. Everyone involved with Desmond's journey would be awarded for their efforts not only in combating the Order of the Knights Templar, but in saving civilization itself.

Little did they know just how much their hero had to sacrifice to give them all this second chance.

**[LOCATION REDACTED], Earth, 2016**

For two years the United States Government had been investigating Abstergo Industries. They had been picking at the shadow-corporation ever so slowly but surely, finding evidence against their cause every now and then and resurrecting interest in continuing the examination of the company whenever it started to fade. Abstergo was locked in a figurative game of Chess with the Assassins, who had miraculously been able to influence the election of President Jacob Hall via the "Outernet" created by the Initiates back in 2014. President Hall, made fully aware of the Assassins in 2015, agreed to continue pressing Abstergo for anything incriminating. The Brotherhood was about to call checkmate.

His job was simple enough. Four years ago he was the one overseeing Assassin operations in the recently repaired San Francisco den when the 2012 Coronal Mass Ejection occurred. Last month, he was appointed to be head of the ongoing investigation of Abstergo Industries by President Hall himself after having climbed the ranks of the Federal Bureau of Investigation over the years. Okay, maybe that part wasn't so simple. The risks of being exposed as an Assassin were pretty intense.

That was the past. Right now? His unofficial job was to pretty much wreck Abstergo.

"Hey, Franklin, I've got someone getting nervous," came a voice from behind the white-suited man.

This "Franklin" turned to see a fellow Assassin (recently having infiltrated the FBI) with his arms crossed as he stared down a man in a labcoat.

Franklin waved his hand dismissively, as if he was sweeping something on a high shelf away. "Tsk tsk, Rico, I got this one," he said as he approached. Rico nodded to him and backed away.

"What do you want, sir?" the Abstergo employee asked, back against the wall.

"My… partner, says that you're becoming a bit defensive about something. There seem to be an issue?" Franklin asked.

"N-n-no sir, nothing at all!" said the terrible liar.

Franklin smirked devilishly as he tried his Batman Gambit*; he knew this man to be both a coward and a Templar. He reached into his suit and pulled out the pendant that hung on his necklace. It was a silver Assassin Insignia colored red around the edges. He held it up for the Abstergo employee to get an eyeful of it. He watched as the employee started shaking, realizing he was dealing with Assassins, said to have been eradicated in a Great Purge. The frightening thing was that they kept trying even though they were outnumbered, outgunned, and lacked the propaganda to sway the masses, save for the Election of 2016.

Franklin chuckled as the employee ran off, shouting for a "Dr. White".

"Apprehend that man! He knows something!" Franklin ordered, quickly stuffing the pendant back out of vision. As agents lead by Rico ran past him, he started staring at the wall that the employee was so hellbent on pressing his back against. He started poking it in various places, getting a few odd looks from a few other people in the hallway. Eventually he found that one area of the wall was a bit… deeper, than the rest of the wall. He could feel edges making a nearly invisible square shape in the wall, just at elbow's height. He tapped the center of it a few times and managed to get a panel to slide into the wall, revealing a passcode pad and iris-recognition hardware.

At that moment, Franklin's agents returned with the employee, dragging him by his shoulders over to Franklin. The latter snickered as he heard the squeaking of the man's shoes on the ground as his heels slid across the floor. The agents held him at eye-level with Franklin, who spoke in a rather calm voice. "Well… it seems I found something in the wall, here… looks like it wants a password and somebody's eye. Care to provide the two for us?" he explained, turning to point at the newly revealed defenses.

"I'm not supposed to," the employee grunted.

"Well that's a shame. When you were running off you seemed to know who gave you those orders. A… Doctor White? Wouldn't want him knowing you got busted now would you? We'll let you go free if you provide what we want and we'll put the blame on ourselves for randomly cracking the code. As for iris-identification we'll lie and say we hacked it. Sound like a deal?" said Franklin, gesturing like a game-show host at the keypad. The employee rolled his eyes and held his hands up in surrender.

"I'm holding you to that promise," he said as the agents released him. He entered in the passcode: 843-83675277-273-4684624253 **_**_**, and lowered his face down for the iris-identification system to scan his eye.

To Franklin, and his agents' surprise, a door concealed in the wall slid open, revealing a downwards staircase to a second door, this time locked by conventional means. The employee burst into a frantic run, heading out of the hall to seek the exit of the facility. Franklin drew his pistol, expecting trouble, and kicked the door down, revealing a rather shocking sight for his agents unfamiliar with the Templars and Assassins. A massive room, with catwalks around the perimeter of the room and running in each direction, connecting all four sides at the upper level of the room. At the far end of the room, a lighting fixture in the shape of a giant white cross could be seen. The lower level was, by far, the most incriminating thing about this chamber. Rows upon rows of cubicles with glass walls and ceilings were lined up perfectly in a disturbingly uniform fashion. Inside each cubicle were machines and computers of the exact same design and position. Sometimes, they would have people strapped to them, wires attached to their heads.

Franklin knew right away what this all was, but the FBI agents behind him had slapped their hands to their foreheads in shock, taking it all in. After a brief moment they too drew their pistols and followed Franklin and Rico on the catwalk. Further adding to their already substantial awe, the former two leapt over the railing and scaled the wall down to the ground level.

They took out their badges and held them high. "FBI, everyone, hands in the air where I can see them!" Rico shouted, pistol in one hand, badge sky-high in the other. A few scientists drew their own weapons but were quickly shot down by the agents on the upper level. After that, everyone pretty much complied.

"Rico, search the place, dismantle these Animi but not before taking all the data you can!" Franklin ordered as the other agents joined them on the lower level, leaving one man to watch out from above.

The search went on for an hour as Rico broke into archives, sabotaged Animi, and helped the others interrogate Abstergo scientists. When they rendezvoused, they compiled all their evidence in digital folders on their smartphones. Franklin grinned victoriously and copied his folder, forwarding it to the San Francisco Assassins, also sending copies to William Miles, Rebecca Crane, and Sean Hastings.

"Now the question is: Keep this a secret or let the public know that Abstergo Industries has been screwing them over?" Franklin asked unassumingly as they left the building, knowing full-well that the Assassins were going to leak this data either way.

"Well I'm not the one in charge but I am definitely sure that Abstergo's being shut down after this data's evaluated. Might as well let the press know," one agent said.

Checkmate.

*Batman Gambit: Manipulating someone or something by provoking them to do EXACTLY what you KNOW they'll do that's in their nature. Basically, accomplishing something using another person because somebody was being theirself.

**Digit-to-Character (Number to Letter) Cipher: _"The Templars are Invincible"_ it said.

**Earth, 2017**

The Brotherhood had begun to rebuild. Master Assassin Franklin Wood had played a part in shattering Abstergo Industries, practically decapitating the Templar Order. With their hands back in American politics, the Assassins ushered in a Golden Age for the once struggling nation.

However the ice was becoming thin in Europe and Asia. Small-time movements had begun, Ultranationalists, they called themselves, seeking bigger government in China, Southeast Asia, and Asian-Russia, which began to push its way to European-Russia. Currently they were not worth the attention of the Assassins as they focused on gathering their strength in America, aiming to influence Western Europe on their way to utilizing the modern technology and communication once used by the Templars to smash the Brotherhood.

And for a time they would succeed…

* * *

**Earth, 2020-2025**

President Jacob Hall had won a second term. Just in time for war to break out in Europe.

Those Ultranationalist movements in Russia were now being lead by Kazimir Vakhrushev a known Templar, and Russia had taken an increasingly autocratic path. While the government and the people fought back, they were eventually dominated by the not-so-fledgeling movement. Victories for the Ultranationalists were also taking place in China and Vietnam.

Russia, under Kazimir's regime, raised an army and invaded Finland and Estonia. The European Union condemned these actions, but ignored the incursions until Kazimir ordered attacks on Latvia, Lithuania, and Belarus. The Campaign in Finland then pushed into northeast Sweden. At this point, the EU agreed to go to war to defend the rest of Europe. Western European-Union forces showed up in Poland, Romania, and Ukraine to hold back Kazimir's infantry, as well as his "Havocs", a Black-Operations team lead by Piotyr Tokarev.

They were _decimated_. Poland became the stalemate grounds of the European campaign. Victories were had on both sides but none could secure control of Warsaw for long.

**Earth, 2025-2032**

The United States would become involved in the war when China began a joint-invasion of Taiwan and South Korea with Russia, Vietnam, and North Korea. Russia, as a nation swayed by Ultranationalists, reached out to China and provided them with Havoc training, which they passed to Vietnam and North Korea, assisting each other in attacking and controlling a _colossal_ portion of the globe. By 2025, The "CURA", the Communist Union of Russia and Asia, as they came to be known, dominated the entirety of Asia, Asia Minor, and Eastern Europe. As CURA forces began to push into Egypt, the United States and Western Europe formed a coalition they dubbed the Alliance of Democratic States.

The war would rage for another seven years. During this time, CURA occupation of India and the Middle East would be shattered by a group of seven of the ADS's answer to the CURA "Havocs". Project CENTURY was rendered defunct by Piotyr Tokarev, whose Havocs intercepted an exchange between CENTURY's location and Washington, D.C. He proceeded to raze the facility. Seven "Centurions" escaped. Last mistake of that magnitude the CURA ever made.

Unbeknownst to the Centurions, the Assassins Brotherhood had been influencing their victories with the little things to turn the tables. It was discovered that the Ultranationalist movement that created the CURA was a Templar last-ditch-effort to usher in a New World Order. Near the end of the war, the Centurion unit was contacted directly and the Assassin-Templar war was explained to them. Accepting the offer of membership, "Alpha (Alternatively: 'Apex' by other soldiers) Seven" would continue to reclaim territory and fight the CURA where they lived.

The ADS would win the war on Christmas Morning, 2032. Alpha Seven lost one of their members, who valiantly sacrificed himself to save their leader, who would go on to avenge him and, quite literally, decapitate the Ultranationalist Russia's leading body… which was basically just Kazimir. The Templars had been devastated both physically and in terms of morale by the failure to win the war for the CURA. Their Pieces of Eden had been taken by Alpha Seven after their priorities shifted to preventing CURA forces from creating a psychological weapon out of them.

The death toll of the war would later be calculated. Predictably, the Third World War surpassed the Second World War in number of casualties.

**70,291,500 to 75,834,550 **people lost their lives in this war. Most of them innocent lives taken by the CURA's Ultranationalist regimes.

Humanity would never be the same. North Korea was defeated swiftly and the Peninsula reunited as a single nation, which for the remainder of the war, was protected by Japan and the United States, two member-nations of the ADS. Leaving them at this point meant sure domination by China.

All territory acquired by Vietnam was taken back ever so surely, and eventually Hanoi fell. The ADS reestablished political borders only after the war had ended. No countries were destroyed or created during this period of Reconstruction.

The People's Republic of China was the only CURA nation to directly surrender before the war's end and thus kept a majority of their original territory. Advocates jumped onto the treaty as an opportunity to push the nation to release Tibet. In exchange for a portion of Asian-Russia should the war end in ADS favor, China agreed to relinquish Tibet along with _all _other countries taken during their time in the war. The Indian Subcontinent was finally reunited as a single nation; India, Pakistan, Bengali, etc. learned over the course of the war to unite against a common enemy. They didn't need to waste human lives in times of hardship because of religious differences. Although there are still some disputes over the construction of mosques and Hindi temples in some cities, none have erupted into violence yet.

Russia was defeated last, and put up the greatest fight. All territory acquired in the war was relinquished to the ADS who reestablished political boundaries in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. As promised, a portion of eastern-most Russia was given to China.

As the entire world had come together to combat a common threat, the seeds of peace were sown amongst the nations of Earth. The Assassins, and Alpha Seven, finally had a chance to relax. No longer did they have to run, nor were they in any sort of danger. The ADS was dissolved in 2045 after Reconstruction of the world was completed. Although numerous member-nations would affectionately refer to their country and its allies as "Alliance of Democratic States", taking into consideration the bonds that their native nation formed with other ADS members.

* * *

**Earth, 2075**

As a result of the implants given to them during their time in Project CENTURY, the remaining members of Alpha Seven still lived at a relatively young biological age. Victor Manswell, one of the Brotherhood's "eccentric billionaire-types" put in a formal request for the six ex-Centurions to come aboard his ship for the mission to Alpha Centauri. They agreed so long as they got to bring their oddball AI and old armor with them. It was decided that once the ship landed, A-7 would be the primary police force for the colonists. A-7 was ordered to take with them the Pieces of Eden, all of which had fallen into Assassin hands. A last message was given to the Brotherhood via memory shard: "Look to the Stars, you'll find Mars. We were not alone."

The ship successfully launches.

Contact with the ship is soon lost.

**Earth, 2096**

The United States, Mexico, and Canda merge to become the United North American States, maintaining a large part of US American culture and historical focus, with influence from Canadian and Mexican culture and language.

A rogue faction attempts secession from the newly formed UNAS, sparking a second American Civil War in which Liberty Island in New York is attacked and bombarded in an act of Terrorism. The Statue of Liberty, hitherto a beloved and cherished symbol of America, is utterly destroyed. Its head remained mostly intact, but disappeared from the scene of the attack.

Assassins suspected Templar influence in the rebellion and initiated a series of covert operations to eliminate key individuals in direct opposition of the UNAS.

They succeed, and the UNAS achieves victory, securing its future as a single nation of North America.

**Mars, 2103**

The European Space Agency goes to the planet Mars and establishes a colony, Lowell City, in Eos Chasma. It would be the first permanent settlement on Mars.

Assassins arrive shortly thereafter. Having preserved a record of the final communique from First Civilization, they set to work deciphering the meaning of "we were not alone".

**Saturn, 2137**

Eidfell-Ashland Energy co. develops and demonstrates Helium-3 extraction technology on the atmosphere of Saturn, unlocking the potential of Helium-3 as a fuel source. Consider Humanity saved from the depleting resources of Earth.

The Templars, having been nearly defunct for almost a century, return from the depths of their Assassin-imposed damnation and seek to take control of Eidfell-Ashland to regain a foothold in human affairs.

**Mars, 2147**

Trace amounts of an unknown material are discovered by a group of Assassin scientists. Signatures indicate that it may be a completely new element.

The element is shown is have an atomic mass of nearly zero and thus is dubbed "Element Zero", or "Eezo" in layman's terminology.

Assassins move one step closer to uncovering the truth about the First-Civilization's neighborhood.

**Mars, 2148**

A data cache belonging to a race calling themselves the "Protheans" was discovered. Among the crew responsible for the discovery was an Assassin named Akiha Mitsurugi, who presented the findings to the Brotherhood, who deduced that First Civilization and Protheans were contemporaries. As the Protheans revealed that they were wiped out, they speculated on the cause. First Civilization very well could have had an interstellar community rivalling the Protheans. The investigation was filed under "long-term studies".

Humanity begins exploring the science of Mass Effect Fields, leading to the development of Faster-than-Light travel.

**Pluto, 2149**

Utilizing both Mass Effect physics and directions in the data cache, Humans arrive at Pluto where they discover that Charon is not a moon at all; it's a Mass Relay encased in ice. Jon Grissom becomes one of the first humans to leave the Sol system. He discovers the Mass Relay network across the entirety of the Milky Way Galaxy, setting the stage for the Advent of Humanity.

The Systems Alliance is formed from eighteen nations of Earth, with the UNAS being included. This Alliance becomes Humanity's military and exploratory spearhead.

**Earth, 2151**

A devastating accident in Singapore exposes hundreds of humans to dust-form eezo. Roughly 30% of all children born in Singapore after eezo exposure grow cancerous tumors later in life. The rest develop abilities that can only be described as telekinetic.

**2152-2156**

Humanity enters an age of expansion, reaching out and colonizing numerous worlds such as Demeter, Terra Nova, and Eden Prime. The Systems Alliance Navy is created and fleets are assembled to protect Humanity's expanding territory regardless of the fact that the "We Are Not Alone" has yet to be uttered.

* * *

**Shanxi, 2157**

She had to remain calm. It was all a misunderstanding, she was told, and that she was not to perpetuate violence with _them_. The Brotherhood would work to fix things with the "Turians".

Astrid Morin was an inhabitant of the planet Shanxi when the Turians besieged it. Under the command of General Williams, the Systems Alliance faltered and the Turians took the planet out from under them. Astrid considered arming herself to defend her colony when she saw the shuttles offload troops. She knew better than to risk her neighbors their lives, even though she had the training to take an entire squad unarmed. She sighed and returned to her couch, sitting down and waiting for what felt like half an hour. She looked over to her clock. It actually _had_ been half an hour. She heard a fist pounding on her door, hard enough to make some of the wall decorations rattle in place.

She got up, equipped her Hidden Blade, and opened the door slowly, peering her head out. Two Turians armed with assault rifles were outside. They seemed "friendly", given that their rifles were pointed at the ground with the safety on.

One of them spoke in a strange tongue that Astrid noted was oddly Latin in… flavor? However you'd describe that, she thought to herself. She eyed the Turian standing in her doorway. He cleared his throat and looked inside her house in a casual manner.

"Forgive this idiot. He forgot that you don't know our language," said the Turian behind the one in the doorway as the former nudged the latter in the back with his elbow. The fact that he spoke English was pretty shocking to her.

She stared over the shoulder of the first Turian, at the one who nudged him. "You speak English?"

"No. Not a word of it," he replied, blinking.

What the hell, Astrid thought to herself. This entire exchange was absolutely baffling her. "I'm chalking it up to translator device or some sort of space-magic. Anyways, what did you want?" she inquired, opening her door entirely.

The Turian standing in her doorway shook his head, as if snapping himself out of a trance, and he stood at attention. "Miss, we're with the Hastatim. We've set up a safe-camp outside the colony for civilians. This is your one warning. If you refuse or resist, we are authorized to shoot you," he said, putting it bluntly.

Astrid blinked. Okay, that was new. She understood, however, and was willing to cooperate to avoid further bloodshed. Although, something caught her attention. "H-hold on, how am I to be sure that you're not going to gas me as soon as I arrive!?" she said.

This absolutely terrified the Turian, evident from his bulging eyes and loosened grip on his gun. "What?! What kind of sick bastard would offer refuge to innocent men, women, and children, and then kill them with GAS?!"

"Humanity has had a history of being unkind to itself throughout its history. I don't want to waste your time. Alright, you've convinced me. I'll go, but I want to go get a couple things just real quick, okay? Just some food, water, and some personal belongings should I not see home again. I'll be _right_ out. Feel free to step inside, look around," replied Astrid, leaving the door open, but backing away to go prepare for camp-life.

The two Turians gave each other a quick glance before shrugging and stepping inside the house.

Astrid reminded herself: Food, Water, and Irreplaceables. After filling a small backpack with canned food, bottled water, her smartphone, and other irreplaceable objects of either sentimental or technological importance, she head back downstairs and held her hands up in surrender. "Ready," she said, heading towards the open door. As soon as she stepped out, she saw that she was hardly the first one to be evicted.

Across the street, she could see a body-bag out on the lawn of a house. They weren't kidding when they said they'd kill resistance. Closer inspection revealed who had occupied the house. Looks like the only one to resist the Hastatim was Zechariah Miller, just a borderline "sub-human", as Astrid put it, that nobody in the neighborhood actually liked; openly racist, homophobic, ridiculously conservative "Christian" of unspoken denomination that didn't like the idea of meeting E.T. let alone be evicted by one.

The majority of the block was Christian, of course, but nobody possessed the level of hatefulness that "Zed" had. Astrid blew a lock of brown hair out of her eyes and dropped any thoughts of fear that crossed her mind. So they only killed people who were asses. Nice touch.

Astrid and the other refuges found themselves herded… no, herded isn't the right word… _escorted_ to a Safe-Camp just outside the town. As it turned out, there were already people here, wrapped in blankets, drinking water that they had brought. People who had surrendered, and left unharmed. These guys were pretty honorable fighters, Astrid gave them that.

Astrid settled in, claiming a little corner of the camp for herself as she sat down, Lotus-Position, and looked around, irises flashing a bright gold. Her seventh sense; the so-called "Eagle Vision" that some humans with First-Civ descent possessed. Everything seemed friendly in this camp. Nothing particularly worth her attention was going on. However, she noticed a figure approaching, and her eyes dimmed, going back to their usual green.

It was the same Turian from earlier, the one that had been standing in Astrid's doorway, peeking inside like a total goof. This time he was unarmed. He gestured to the ground besides Astrid, wanting to sit. She patted the dirt floor next to her and the Turian sat besides her.

"Hello," he said, looking around at the Safe-Camp.

She maintained her poker-face. "Anything you wanted? Do I need to be somewhere?"

The Turian shrugged. "Actually, we're done rounding civilians up and I've the rest of the day off. All I have to do is make sure nobody causes any trouble," he said, leaning forwards and placing his chin on his hands. "Besides that, I'm really just bored," he chuckled.

Astrid didn't really care to notice before, but she could hear the purring subharmonic that the Turian seemed to possess. It wasn't an unpleasant sound, honestly. She smiled and rolled her eyes. "And so you came to me," she replied in a somewhat sarcastic manner.

The Turian turned his head to face her, sitting up straight and offering his hand. Oh, so they shared a gesture or two, or he just picked it up. "The name is Aepheus Kadros" he said, mandibles moving in such a way that it imitated a human smile.

After a moment of hesitation, Astrid took his hand in hers and shook it firmly. "Astrid Morin," replied the Assassin as they released each other's hand. "So, why so friendly to a human?" she asked Aepheus.

Aepheus paused for a moment, reflecting upon the question. "Well, you're not trying to kill me, and I was there when the first shots were fired. They were from a Turian ship. You didn't know this, but it was illegal to activate dormant Mass Relays, which your people were attempting to do at the 317 Relay. Had the shots been from a Human ship I wouldn't be talking to you right now," he explained to the young human, and she nodded in understanding. "And don't think I didn't notice your… wrist weapon, there," he added, poking the back of Astrid's wrist. Sure enough, the thin, white-leather bracer was still attached to her bright white hoody.

Astrid mouthed an "oh shit" as she turned her arm over to stare at the concealed blade. Her eyes wandered over to Aepheus, widened from fear.

"Relax. I wanted to talk about it. It seemed like an interesting device. Who makes them? Think I can get one?" asked Aepheus, "Also don't be afraid to give me the long version. I have all day," he added.

Astrid decided to take a gamble, and she told him that he couldn't get one unless he either made it himself or was issued one by her Brotherhood. This caught Aepheus's attention. Upon being asked, Astrid cleared her throat and wondered where she should begin. She was a Master Assassin, and had cleared a test on Assassin-Templar history. She began with the Assassin's earliest days of known Human History. She told a tale of bravery, defiance, and cunning, reciting the Maxim and the Tenets of the Brotherhood which had history going back to before Sumeria. Before long, several other Humans and Turians had gathered around her as she recounted the history of the noble Assasssin Brotherhood. From Altair Ibn-La'Ahad's quest for redemption and self-discovery to Ezio Auditore's journey for revenge-turned-justice as he dethroned a corrupt family of nobles, ushering in a golden age not only for the Assassins but for all of Italy, to his pilgrimage to Masyaf and subsequent mission to free the Ottoman Empire from the oppression of the Byzantines.

She told the tragic tale of Connor Kenway, as he lost everything he held dear on his path to Freedom, how he never lost hope even through the greatest of tribulation. She was standing up, fully aware of her audience by the time she reached Desmond Miles. She spoke of how he initially ran from who he was, and of his capture by Abstergo, for which she digressed temporarily to speak of the Templars, how they sought to take away the freedom and willpower of others in the name of cheap order and the illusion of peace.

She returned to Desmonds tale, and revealed to her audience that he was the descendant of Altair, Ezio, and Connor, that he relived the experiences of all three through a machine engineered by Abstergo. He learned their skills as he lived their lives, and with his newfound abilities fought to save the entire planet of Earth when it needed help the most. She told the audience of the CME that threatened to destroy all civilization. Desmond Miles _gave his life away_ to ensure that Humanity could have a second chance. Juno was later inadvertantly defeated by a Russian assassin when the former had invaded a makeshift Animus and possessed the assassin's mother while she was using it. Juno had escaped from her prison the moment Desmond made his sacrifice, but was "killed" when her host was killed and the Animus shut down and taken apart.

She went on to reveal the role that the Assassins had on Humanity up until this point, how they had done more good for it than the Templars ever did. She spoke of the World War the Templars sparked, and how it was ended by seven heroes later belonging to the Assassins.

Throughout her entire speech, her audience was moved by the legends of the past, both Human and Turian. When she had finally finished, it was dusk, and the Turians completed their occupation of Shanxi. Applause roared around her, mostly from the dramatic way she recited the legends that kept them interested throughout the whole event. She blushed and started breathing a little heavier out of surprise; she seriously spent that long breaking the third tenet and they were applauding her?!

Aepheus stood up and nudged her shoulder. "Quite the fascinating history your people have. And you say your Brotherhood is still functional?" he said, to which Astrid nodded.

"They're probably going to kill me for breaking the third tenet in such a spectacular way, though, unless you all join up or stay silent about it…" came the reply.

"That won't be a problem, miss. It's a cause worth joining. Once this damn conflict's over I don't see why I wouldn't find them and lend my gun in their honor," said a Turian in the audience, the same one who had accompanied Aepheus to Astrid's house earlier in the day. A few others nodded in approval, and a couple of humans found themselves agreeing with their current occupiers. That was a sight you'd never believe you'd see.

Astrid shrugged nervously, "I thank you all… first step is to either leave Shanxi or have Assassins come to us."

Aepheus put a hand to his chin, pondering a solution. Eventually he snapped his thumb and index finger, signalling that he came to a conclusion. "The Hierarchy is going to have my head for this, but I believe that we can make a 'prisoner exchange' work. We'll bring you to your Assassins, Turians get a few war prisoners back, we all work together to prevent all of… this, from turning into a full-blown war. Only one problem's in our way…"

"And that would be?" Astrid found herself asking in spite of herself (she had believed that Aepheus was going to continue and that she had interrupted him mid-thought).

"Hastatim Captain Jorum. Ruthless son of a varren. He's over in his little shack, probably reading something. Once he's given an assignment he carries it out like a drone. No questions asked, no order disobeyed. Good Turian, but he can be pretty cruel at times. He'll never authorize a transfer on a whim. You lot aren't even prisoners by a long-shot," he elucidated, pacing back and forth.

"I'd hate to get his blood on my hands, so old-school Assassin'ing is a no-go," Astrid muttered under her breath.

"As in all things I advise we exercise caution and patience," Aepheus's partner said, "Let's not do anything, and try to influence Jorum as the days go by. Besides, by then they'll probably lift us out of here and make the refugees actual prisoners. I'm sure we can work it out by then."

So the plan was to wait…

It was successful. After a week of subliminally persuading Captain Jorum, he requisitioned a spacelift for the Shanxi inhabitants, seeing as how the Turians had no use for them, and they weren't about to slaughter innocents of a newly discovered species. Aepheus and Astrid toiled to contact the Assassin Brotherhood, who were a bit shocked to see a Turian at first, but kept their cool long enough to extract Astrid, Aepheus, and their sympathizers from captivity in an operation dubbed "Task: _ET Phone Home_". Whoever came up with that Task Name obviously got picked on for a while once the task itself was completed.

Aepheus Kadros would be inducted as the Brotherhood's first Turian initiate, going down in history as such. He and allies made on Shanxi would covertly recruit other open-minded Turians to the cause, and when Shanxi was taken back by the Systems Alliance, the Brotherhood would prevent the escalation to total war by sending Aepheus and other initiates to bring reports to the Citadel Council about Humanity's military strength and how a total war between Humans and Turians would harm the galaxy as a whole. The Council intervened and ordered a cease-fire which progressed to "true" peace. The scars of the war wouldn't heal for decades, however, and both sides harbored bitter hatred for each other. Some even went so far as to commit acts of terrorism or more minor crimes to get back at each other.

The Templar Order would also leak its ideologies to the Turians. The promises of Order enticed the majority of the species, and they formed a separate clan of Templars, appointing their own saints from Turian history and mythology.

Jack Harper, a mercenary during the First Contact War/Relay 317 Incident, would publish an audio manifesto regarding Mankind's future. He formed the survivalist organization _Cerberus_ and took on the mantle of "The Illusive Man". He would be contacted by the Knights Templar and offered their resources in exchange for a merger. He agreed, and joined Cerberus and the Templars together, becoming a Grand Master within a few short years and ushering in a rebirth of the Order. With Cerberus's first acts of terrorism, the Templars once again appeared on the Assassins' radar as a major threat. The War was back on.

The Brotherhood would spread its philosophy to the other races of the Galaxy, both Council and non-Council, such as the Krogans of Tuchanka and Quarians from the Migrant Fleet. A large "Bureau", named so in honor of the Jerusalem Bureau of Altair's era, was constructed on the outskirts of the Kithoi Ward, away from public curiosity, but close enough to influence the cultural buildings and plazas on the same ward. For decades it would serve as the Assassin Brotherhood's undisputed Headquarters, for it was right in the Galaxy's political, economic, and cultural hub, and people of all races congregated on the Citadel.

Aepheus Kadros would become Astrid Morin's apprentice, and over their months of training they developed a bond for each other that went beyond friendship. Had they become a public spectacle via media, they would have been viewed as the Galaxy's first Human-Turian couple. Not wanting to deal with press, or the possibility of being blown up by puritans, the Brotherhood made sure that all records that screamed "WE'RE DATING/MARRIED" were erased.

They continue to live to this day in the Citadel Assassin Bureau.

* * *

**Citadel Assassin Bureau, 2185**

A red-haired woman was seated at a desk in a small room, looking over her computer screen at the Assassin archives as she read about Assassin history as a Galactic force up until now. She was dressed in simple white robes quite similar in appearance to those worn by the Assassins of Masyaf. "Levantines" they were now called. They were the standard uniform attire for most Assassins in the Bureau when on duty in the building, but were comfortable enough to wear as casual gear. While they had their futuristic flair (being made of non-Earth fabrics, having racial designs on the sleeves or hoods, or occasionally being crafted in a deviating style such was the norm for Drell), the majority of them were modeled after old records and sketches of Assassins of the Levant.

Over her head, she heard the intercom call out. "Will Jane Shepard please report to conference room #7?" the voice asked. She closed her computer down and walked out of her room and down the hallway. After passing another door she was greeted by the, frankly pleasant, aroma of the Grand Hall. She took in the sights around her: In the center of the room was a circular reflecting pool with a manmade "island" in the center of that, covered in grass with a few rocks here and there. All around the reflecting pool was an indoor waterfall cascading along the edges of a circular groove in the ceiling down into the reflecting pool. This was where Assassins came if they wished to meditate. Normally, Asari, Drell, and Hanar occupied this little space, but the occasional Turian, Human, or Salarian wasn't an unusual sight.

To her left was the cafeteria. Those assigned to kitchen duty knew what they were doing obviously, though they hardly held a candle to professionally made recipes. Thankfully they could serve food of all chiralities. The room itself was decorated to remind one of a sort of… Turkish Den meets Asari cafeteria feel. You had the standard, long dining tables, but there were also plush cushions and rugs so one could eat on the floor if they so desired (which also added a Japanese element to it). Jane could swear that if they hooked up some Hooka pipes they could recreate the Constantinople dens of old.

To her right was the bar area. Say what you will, but yes, the bar was a necessity in the design. Unlike the cafeteria, this place actually served as a lounge area. Mahogany tables and cushioned chairs were scattered around the area on the sides of the bar. She could see a few of her fellow Assassins sitting at the bar counter, likely swapping stories of past triumphs.

She walked down the Grand Staircase, continuing down after she passed the foyer's floor and entered the lower level, where the conference and briefing rooms were located. She took a right and knocked on the door labeled with both the arabic numeral and asari numeral for "seven". The door was answered by a man in robes of a similar design as Jane's, only his hood was up, making him seem more intimidating than he probably was. Jane could still see his thin, black beard and if she looked closely enough, could see his icey blue eyes.

Those eyes that reminded her so fondly of her deceased, fraternal twin brother, John. About two years ago he was Commander of the SSV _Normandy_ SR-1, that she in fact served on.

"Come inside. There's something we need to discuss. Master T'Lona received some reports that might interest you," the man said as Jane stepped into the conference room.

At the other end of the room, next to a holographic display of a "whiteboard" was a tall, purplish-skinned Asari with her hood down, revealing, in its entirety, her yellow facepaint in the shape of a crescent over her forehead and down her cheeks. Her father was likely a Turian from the look of the paint. Also she stood with this sort of militaristic bravado that could only really belong to the child of a Turian, so…

Jane took a seat at the end of the board, sitting up at attention as the man who opened the door took a seat besides a group of other assassins.

"So… I'm currently ranked at 'Disciple'. Why am I allowed in here again? I thought only _officially ranked_ Assassins and Masters could enter conference rooms?" Jane inquired, lifting an eyebrow as her eyes scanned her colleagues.

Sometimes she questioned the sanity of this Order. To her right was a _Krogan_, sitting as politely as can be, dressed in white and red battle armor. Judging from his facial expression, not a single violent thought was crossing his mind. To make things freakier, right next to him was a Goddamn _SALARIAN _in a modified Levantine robe.

To her left was the man with the blue eyes. His name was Alexander Clarke, and he took his job _very_ seriously. He had quite the service record and so was respected by a grand majority of the Assassins in Council territory. Completely true "rumors" spread among the novices held that he was the one who established a connection with _ARIA T'LOAK_ and Omega's "services", bringing back the age-old tradition of Assassins providing to and acquiring assistance from Mercenary organizations, Thieves Guilds, and Courtesan/Courtier Brothels. Omega had all those resources, and this man was responsible for acquiring them in the name of the Assassins.

Sitting besides him was a Turian, a _female_ Turian. Peculiarly, her face was bare of any markings. This meant that she either was a Palaven Pureblood who did not require colony markings, or she was one of the barefaced, not to be trusted folk. Likely the latter given her affiliation with a group of killers. Jane knew her as Kairee Antar, Alexander's best friend and long-time partner. She would accompany him on numerous life-or-death assignments and they'd always come out unscathed. A few gossips even claimed that the two loved each other. Like, _love_, love. Of course, only when they weren't in earshot of any of the higher-ups.

Master Ayana T'Lona continued to speak, "_You're_ here because we picked up some tips from our moles in Cerberus," she said, moving a hand from behind her back to reveal that she was carrying a datapad. She laid it on the table and slid it down to Jane, who caught it and started studying its contents.

Alexander spoke next, "Your brother's alive, Jane. After having been dead for two years, Cerberus cracked the code. Took John, and kicked Death in the balls on the way out of the Afterlife."

The memories flooded back to her. 2183, a few weeks after the Battle of the Citadel. She was serving alongside her twin brother, John. They had been through hell and back together, and she even found love in Major Kaidan Alenko. She remembered quite fondly how they recruited Garrus Vakarian, Urdnot Wrex, Liara T'Soni, Ashley Williams, and Tali'Zorah. The _highlight_ of their career was Virmire without a doubt. It took freak chance, the splitting up of the squad, and her and John's biotic capabilities as a Sentinel and Vanguard respectively, to beat the odds and carry out a high-risk mission without casualties, even when it seemed that a sacrifice was forced to be made. She, not so fondly, remembered that they had been looking for Geth in Terminus space when something attacked the _Normandy_ and destroyed it. She had been chatting with Kaidan and Ashley in the Mess Hall when the alarms went off. With their help she ushered the ground squad and most of the vital crew onto the escape pods and blasted off. Tali and Wrex went to go find Shepard, who was busy sending out a distress beacon. When they told him that Joker refused to leave the bridge, John ordered them to head to escape pods, that he'd be along shortly with Joker.

Joker's pod left the _Normandy_... but John was nowhere to be found when an Alliance ship picked the escape pods up. She recalled how Alliance Command threw a fit and dismantled the crew. After John's funeral, they all went their separate ways. Kaidan became too absorbed with making amends with the Alliance for the loss of the _Normandy_ that he spent little to no time with Jane, leading to a brief falling out.

That's when she met the Assassin Brotherhood. Kairee was the one to recruit her. The latter found the former at Apollo's Cafe one morning and brought up the proposition of joining the Brotherhood. Seeing as how their goals were noble enough, she quickly agreed to become a Novice. Within a year she had climbed her way to Disciple.

"This is… incredible," Jane murmured, swiping the screen to display more text, "it says that he's headed to Freedom's Progress on a Cerberus shuttle. Did he hijack it or is he working for Cerberus?"

"That's what we don't know. Our mole didn't see that. He just knew that Freedom's Progress was the destination. The fate of the Shuttle after it left is up to imagination," Master T'Lona replied, turning to face the databoard. She swiped the screen and pulled up an image of Freedom's Progress. "Human Colony, Assassin territory, evident from the name. Out in the Terminus Systems, not as distrusting as other Colonies say, Horizon. Still a liable target for Batarians, Templars… hell the two are synonymous these days… They're out there to investigate the disappearances of Colonies, clearly. Were it _pirates_, they would have shown signs of fighting, not to mention Aria would send us a message regarding the attacks. She has no intention of betraying our pact, so it's either outside her jurisdiction, damn rogues… or it's something else."

"Question, If this thing, or things, came in without warning, abducted or eradicated all sapient life on the colony, and there are zero signs of attack of any shape or form, how are we to be certain that they aren't _still there_?" said the Salarian to Jane's right. She had to agree. That was a _really_ good point.

"Good question, Valok. We're not certain. Our mission is to get in, find out what's been abducting the Colonists, find out why John Shepard is there, and who he's travelling with. This is a scouting mission. Any kills made are unauthorized and you will be reprimanded if a kill is made. Seeing as how we're all Assassins with the exception of Jane here, being discovered should not be an issue," Master T'Lona said, "Have I made myself clear?"

In unison, all present stood straight, pushing their chairs back. They threw their fist over their chest in a Roman-esque salute. "Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted!" they shouted, as if they were all responding to a _drill-sergeant_.

"I want Jane to go on this one. No doubt she's going to want to see her twin again," Master T'Lona continued. "To minimize the risk of capture, Raik Skatok, Valok, I don't want you two on this assignment. Valok I'm calling you out because I know how you and Skatok can be sometimes," she said, and the two Assassins looked at their feet, downcast, "While your goofing off together may be acceptable on kills and fetch-quests, I wouldn't let you do it on an undertaking requiring silence and surveillance."

That was another thing. They _never_ fought. In fact, they seemed like best friends from the way they acted around each other. They could always be seen around the bar. Occasionally Skatok would bartend in place of Thomas Quinn.

Bah, it was irrelevant, Jane thought. "I take it Alex and I are taking the disciple to Freedom's Progress?" Kairee asked. Master T'Lona only nodded.

She turned her attention back to Skatok and Valok. "You two will have another assignment. Dalemitrians, those crazy idiots… 'The Church of the Divine Plan' was under our radar until last week. Started drugging people at random in public places when nobody was looking. Find out what they want with them, or if it even is the Dalemitrians at fault," she ordered, and the Krogan and Salarian left the conference room. "Well? What is it you're waiting for?" she added when she turned her attention back to Alexander, Kairee, and Jane, "Go on!"

* * *

**Sutori-Artifex here! FINALLY done with this rewrite! RAAAH. Now I have to do the second chapter to make it fit with the rewrite of this chapter.**

**Ffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu...**


	2. A Mission of Questionable Survivability

**Sutori-Artifex here! Rewrite of Chapter Two! Woot! Alright, so this should help bridge the rewrite of the first chapter to the rest of the story.**

**Tell me if Chapter Three needs a rewrite or not or if it's just good enough to spare.**

**So in terms of current events in the story (Chapter 8 and beyond), I realize that I've got to wrap this Arc of the story up.**

**The way I see it, Mass Effect: Creed will be split into several story-arcs, like episodes of a TV series. You are reading the SUICIDE MISSION Arc.**

**Next up are the POST-OMEGA 4 Arc (Overlord, Arrival, Firewalker, etc), the ANIMUS Arc (Obvious), the REAPER WAR Arc (Mass Effect 3 and DLCs), and the RENAISSANCE Arc (Mass Effect 3 Citadel and Post-ME3 free-writing. No knowledge of Mass Effect 4 yet) No spoilers for any one of the Arcs.**

**But I will need your support in the coming years with writing this story. That being said, enjoy this Chapter 2 rewrite!**

**(Quick Note: I have a few more stories in the works. I'm experimenting with fandoms to see what gets the most positive attention, aka what I should keep writing for my fans. Potential fandoms include Pokemon and HALO! :D)**

**I decided to retcon Alexander Clarke's choice of armor. /d4wp5yh**

* * *

**Freedom's Progress, 2185**

A shuttle drops down, landing neatly inches above the ground as the doors swing open. A trio of shady individuals hop out, weapons at the ready as they sweep the immediate area.

One, a human female was clad in repainted _Inferno_ armor, engineered from the Cerberus Officer armor set for the benefit of a Sentinel. Highlighting details painted a crisp snow white adorned the scarlet red hardsuit. From behind the red-tinted visor one could see bright, attentive eyes scanning the environment. This Sentinel wielded N7 Hurricanes, two of them to be precise. One, painted white, she would use as a primary weapon, leaving room in the open hand to use biotic and tech attacks. Occasionally she would brandish the crimson Hurricane and wield both SMGs Akimbo in a pinch, after using a biotic attack to buy time to make the draw. Truly her abilities and equipment were remarkable for her rank of Disciple.

Another, judging from her figure, was a Turian. She was the most alert of the group, and she had to be as an Infiltrator. Sniper Rifle in hand, she was most comfortable at long range. This was not to say that she was helpless in melee distance, as she sported two monomolecular hidden blades concealed in the armor of her wrists. Aside from the M92 Mantis she packed an M11 Suppressor Pistol painted a dark ebony. As a Veteran, she was given the best of the best weapons a non-inducted Assassin could possess.

The last to step off of the shuttle, human, male, wore a unique set of armor given to him upon his induction as a ranked Assassin. He sported plated "robes" featuring a dark grey undersuit defended by ceramic-metallic plates colored white and light grey lined with streaks of red. His bulky gauntlets and greaves covered him from fingers, up the forearms, and from the toes up to his shins. On his right arm he bore a metal band of armor that wrapped around his upper arm. Further up, on the shoulder, a large pauldron guarded his shoulderblade. The design was reminiscent of a flathead screw. The other pauldron was far less bulky, and had a streak of red light running from top to bottom facing both forwards and behind. A resiliently crafted and shielded cloak colored red on the backside and white on the inside was attached to the back of the shoulderpad which he used to cover himself from ballistic projectiles when cover was scarce. His chestplate was just as well protected as the rest of him, a red light in the heartspace of the breastplate was visible. Down at his waist was an insignia that resembled a math compass mixed with a Greek lambda character. In the center of that was another red light. Below the waist, his legs were covered by a long lower portion of the robes, layered multiple time with cloth in the undermost layers and ceramic-metallic plating commonly found in Hardsuits on top and in the middle. Regardless of their seemingly rigid appearance, they were actually rather flexible, like cloth, and could be worn while sprinting and climbing. In fact they made the job of climbing things _easier_. On his person he carried an Automatic M96 Mattock (His "Automattock", he affectionately referred to it as), an M11 Suppressor, and a Lift grenade for emergency purposes.

The man flipped his white hood over his wavy raven-locks, the burgundy fabric on the inside of the hood coming into vision. He reached to his toolbelt and pulled out a collapsable visor, which he placed on his face, over his eyes. It curved over the bridge of his nose and was pressed to his face, held and supported by a band wrapping around his head. From the visor he received a full-area scan and tactical readout of the buildings on the premises. He thrust his arms down and engaged his own hidden blades, walking to the front of the group and looking around cautiously.

After establishing that nothing was there to attack them, they put away their weapons and turned to face each other.

"We stay together. Whatever took the colonists could very well be here. Follow me, there's a small town just ahead which should give us some clues as to what happened here," the human male said.

"Yes sir," the female human replied with a Roman-era salute.

The turian tapped the male's shoulder as they walked towards the town, "Hey, Alex, what do you think did this?"

Alexander Clarke blinked behind his visor and remained silent for a brief moment, "I haven't the slightest clue, but if I _had to_, I'd put my money on Infrasound Bomb. Drop a beat of High-Powered, low-frequency Infrasound, people explode, and the waves pass through buildings. Wild theory, I know, Sound Bombs are illegal, but still…" he replied, looking over his shoulder at Kairee.

"That's… morbid," Jane Shepard commented, walking a little faster to avoid being caught in the conversation. She approached a townhouse, which, mysteriously, was completely open. Locks unchecked and doors themselves left wide open. Alexander and Kairee stepped inside while Jane kept watch at the door.

It wasn't very spacious. Standard single person colonial starter home; a bed, a table, a chair, a refridgerator, and kitchen equipment such as the usual stove/oven/microwave. Curiously, there was a meal of tenderloin beef-steak laid out on a porcelain plate, which itself sat on a blue square of fabric with silverware set out next to the plate. A glass of wine stood undisturbed next to the plate.

Both the meal and the drink hadn't been touched. The silverware was clean, nothing was moved except the chair, which wasn't even knocked over.

"That's odd…" Kairee whispered to herself as Alexander picked up the wine glass and swished its deep red contents around a little before sniffing it.

"Damn, Chambertin… must have been a special occasion…" he mumbled after having taken a swig. Kairee shot him a bewildered glare and he shrugged uncaringly before setting the glass down. "I don't get it, it's like he just up and left after making _this_ 5-Star meal. No blood, no remains, so no Infrasound bomb… nothing disturbed…"

"So clearly they didn't put up a fight," Kairee replied, crouching down and examining the underside of the bed, hoping to find _something_ of value, whatever it may be.

Jane entered the house and looked around, "It's like the Rapture or something. Jesus isn't _here,_ is he?" she quipped as she placed her hand on the frame of a door leading into the bathroom. There she noticed something odd. On the towel rack, there had been hand-prints made by pressure. There were a few drops of blood on the tile floor under her. Toilet seat was down, lights were off, everything besides the droplets and hand print was in its proper place. "Hey, I got something. Don't know how valuable, but take a look!" she said, and Alexander jogged over. His visor began scanning the bathroom. The blood droplets were legit, and judging from the hand-print, whoever was here had been holding on for dear life for some reason.

"This… this is interesting… doesn't give us a lead but it is interesting…" said Kairee as she approached behind Alexander.

"Clean, circular drops, fresh… not too fresh. Likely made by a fine point. Not a knife or bullet. Would be messier… A sting, perhaps? A needle hastily inserted and yanked out? Judging from the pressure on the towel rack's bar… neurotoxin. Paralysis set in and the man or woman was gripping the bar to spite her captors who pried her off eventually and carried her away," Alexander audibly deduced, clapping his hands together and standing back up.

"…that's incredible," Jane deadpanned.

"Comes with being a master of killing people yourself. I've used just about every conceivable modern weapon to take down my targets… and, once in a miraculous situation, the neck of a guitar…"

"What?"

"Moving on!"

The trio left the empty house and continued through the colony. Before they knew it they were spotting the "corpses" of LOKI and FENRIS Mechs.

"Colonial Defense systems. Recently shot, but by who?" Jane said under her breath as she examined the bullet holes in one FENRIS's "face". A shotgun made this "wound".

"We're dealing with biotics, here," Alexander announced as he held up a charred LOKI mech in both hands. Once he saw that he got his partners' attention with it, he tossed it to the side, "Watch your every step," he added.

They followed the trail of carnage to a spacious courtyard where the pieces of a YMIR Mech lay. It was recently destroyed, and its assailants were closer than the trio thought. "Footsteps, find cover!" Alexander ordered as he and Kairee pulled out their M11 Suppressors and fired upon the floodlights in their immediate area, plunging their surroundings into pitch black darkness for the planet's sun had set, and dense clouds covered the stars above. They ran behind cargo crates and ducked their heads out, their Heads Up Displays activating full-color-spectrum-night-vision.

That was when they saw them. A small group of five people were walking by. Two Quarians, and three humans. Peculiar in itself…

One, male, was fidgeting in the grasp of the other, a female, who sought to console him, as if he had experienced something traumatic. Two of the three humans were what caught the eyes of the Assassins: they were wearing Cerberus uniforms. The third human was rocking N7 armor. Extremely questionable given the N7 Alliance designation and that N7 armor was considered some of the best out there.

Alexander gestured with his hands to engage silently, and he and Kairee circled around, blades at the ready. They slowly moved up behind the African-American and the black-haired female, throwing their arms around their necks in a chokehold, putting the tips of their blades up to their temples. Alexander whistled, and the N7 and Quarians whirled around.

"Get him to safety!" the N7 ordered the female Quarian as he took out his M23 Katana and aimed it at Alexander's head with a single hand. "Who the hell are you?" he shouted, finger twitching on the trigger. Something about his voice was so familiar to Jane, and the data showed that John had been on a Cerberus shuttle when coming down to Freedom's Progress. Still, this was impossible to believe.

"Answers… we all want them. Give us ours first and we'll give you yours. Why are you here? Why are Colonists disappearing, and what does Cerberus have to do with this?" Alexander spat.

John began to glow with biotic energy as a biotic warp began to form in his free hand. "I don't negotiate with Terrorists," he warned, aiming the warp at Kairee's head.

"You seem to get along with Cerberus, so tell me what they're doing here!?" Alexander barked angrily, pressing his blade firmly against the African-American man's head, a narrow trail of blood trickling down his cheek.

"Let them go!" came a mighty roar as the N7 reared back to throw his warp.

"STOP!"

Jane Shepard had taken a leap of faith and thrown herself in the N7's path, ripping her helmet off and throwing it to the ground, hands in the air and towards the N7, positioned as if she were trying to push something or stop a moving force. Her scarlet hair dangled messily down in front of her eyes, a look of desperation plastered on her face. The warp had been thrown, and she used her own biotics to lift a small barrier in front of her, which shattered upon being impacted by the warp. She was breathing heavily, hoping and praying that this moment was as she thought it was, that this was whom she believed it to be.

The N7 lowered his guard and removed his helmet in turn. His face was definitely _his_, his ice blue eyes wide in both confusion and excitement. He brushed his armored hand over his crew cut, smiling awkwardly. "Jane?" he asked as he dropped his shotgun.

The two Shepards stood in the silence momentarily before throwing their arms around each other. "John, it's really you! Damnit I knew you were stubborn but not _enough to cheat death_!" Jane cried, hugging her brother a little tighter.

And so the memories flooded back to her, amplifying her seemed to slow for them, just so they could process.

Their childhood years they would spend, hopping from ship to ship as spacers in the Alliance Navy. Jane always had a thing for old human culture, and so she'd drag John into watching borderline ancient vids and playing antique vid-games with her friends. They were like glue; they stuck together. Such was the case for twins. The fact that they were both biotics made them even more compatible.

Jane remembered the divorce, and how her father, David, took her in his custody, and John went to their mother, Hannah. They still spoke over email, refusing to sever the bonds they had. When the Batarians hit Mindoir, where Jane and her father lived and worked, she not only lost her father, but all of her friends, and lost connection with John and Hannah.

Alexander and Kairee grunted, their blades retreating into their gauntlets. They shoved Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson forwards and crossed their arms. Meanwhile the two Quarians returned after the lack of gunfire got the better of their curiosity. The female put a hand to her mask and gasped, recognizing Jane.

John was experiencing some sweet nostalgia himself, fondly recalling how they reunited on the colony of Elysium some years later. Jane had enlisted in the Alliance Navy and was stationed on Elysium, where she discovered that John had done the same.

Then the Skyllian Blitz happened. The two of them had to prove their mettle not only to each other, but to the resistance that depended on _them_ to hold out against the Batarians besieging the colony. Their defense was made of off-duty marines and _civilians_. With a rousing speech from John, they were ready for damn near anything. When the pirates broke through Colonial defenses, both Shepards single-handedly held them off and sealed the breach. They would both receive the Star of Terra, a prestigious award marking them Heroes of Humanity.

Then the _Normandy_. God, it felt like forever since they were both assigned to the _Normandy_ SR-1. The Alliance knew they worked best together, their Stars of Terra cementing this idea as fact. Jane really hit it off with Kaidan Alenko, which, while made things tense between Kaidan and John, boosted Jane's morale during the arduous times to come. The Battle of Eden Prime was _hell_. Losing Richard L. Jenkins was rough, but the mission was a success, and they rescued a marine by the name of Ashley Williams, whom John took a liking to.

Anyone with their nose in a history book knows the rest; they chased the rogue Spectre Saren Arterius across the galaxy, picking up some friendly faces along the way. The shotgun toting Quarian, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, who was currently here now as Tali'Zorah vas Neema, the Turian C-Sec officer Garrus Vakarian, Krogan bounty hunter Urdnot Wrex, and the Asari archaeologist Liara T'Soni.

The mission went well, and Saren was taken down, along with his Krogan mercenaries and Geth army. The Reapers, a race of sentient machines, made themselves known to the Galactic Community with Sovereign's attack on the Citadel. In a daring decision by the _Normandy_ crew, the Alliance fleet present at the Battle of the Citadel focused on destroying Sovereign, leaving the _Destiny's Ascension_ to be destroyed.

A new council was elected, handpicked by the Assassin Brotherhood behind the scenes and out of the general public's awareness. This action propelled the Brotherhood to a state of near ultimate political power and cultural influence.

Then… Alchera. When John died, and the _Normandy_ was destroyed, Jane couldn't seem to get past it. Kaidan was off tryharding to please the Alliance and she was left on her own as the rest of the crew went their separate ways.

Kairee Antar recruited her in 2184, after having seen her on the Presidium by herself. Jane worked diligently and her skills as a Sentinel proved useful. She skyrocketed through the ranks and became a Disciple, just a stone's throw away from Veteran.

Seeing her "dead" brother here now filled a void in her soul that was hitherto never replaced by anything or anyone. A few tears streamed from Jane's eyes as they held their hug for a moment longer before breaking away. She waved innocently at Tali'Zorah, who approached behind John without a word.

"So, what brings you back from the grave?" she asked, wiping the tears from her eyes and crossing her arms.

"Unfortunately and Fortunately," John said, glaring at Jacob and Miranda, "Cerberus."

Jane inhaled through her teeth, making a hissing sound as her eyes widened, "Ouch… well, meanwhile for the past year I have been working with-"

"Assassins," Miranda interrupted, leering angrily at Kairee Antar, who returned the glare, baring her needle-like teeth.

John was immediately silenced by the shock wrought by the disruption. "Assassins?! You've been a _mercenary_ for the past year!?"

"Well, you've been with Cerberus. That counts for something," commented Tali, slugging John on the shoulder.

Jane waved her hands rapidly, "No, no! Not mercenaries! Gah, Alex, help?"

Alexander Clarke gave Jacob Taylor a look and flipped his cloak over his left arm, walking up to John with a peacefully slow pace. "I figure as the Cerberusian Templar dropped the can I may as well let the beans spill," he announced at a louder tone than he should have used. Tali's brow lifted from behind her mask, and Alexander's head gently turned to face her. He picked up on her body language, "Human expression meaning to confess something, often a secret or a covered lie. Spill the beans. English doesn't have to make sense so long as ideas are conveyed. Such is the blessing of language. Feel free to speak, my translator picks up on every official Galactic language widely spoken," he told the Quarian, who stepped back, slightly creeped out.

"Anyways, Assassins?" John asked, spinning his hands around each other in a gesture of "please continue".

"Ancient Brotherhood of highly trained freedom-fighters aligned towards the preservation and acceleration of culture through any mediums; arts of all forms, science and technology, military and political influence, and religion and spirituality. We fight under one banner, unlike the should-be-defunct Templar assholes over here," Alexander elucidated, pointing at Miranda and Jacob as he finished the thought. Naturally, both of them scoffed and looked at the Assassin as if he had grown a third arm on his back.

"Beg pardon? Our goals are noble. We fight to protect humanity, and save it from itself. Its in our nature to abuse freedom. Our best option is to restrict it. It's the lesser of two evils, the greater evil being anarchy!" Miranda barked.

Jacob joined in. "We can have plenty of culture in a controlled society!"

Alexander snickered, "And that must be why your Order is shattered, with species forming different clans to vie for the largest shard. _Liberation is in our grasp_, Lawson, reach for it."

"Hey HOW do you know my name?!"

"Genetically Modified Super-Princess, daughter of Henry Lawson, one of the richest men in the Galaxy, happens to be a Templar, also has small-time ties to Cerberus, also, you're with Cerberus. Shit gets around in the Brotherhood. You're on our hit-list."

"HEY! EVERYONE CALM DOWN!" John shouted, waving his hands up and down. All eyes were on him.

"We can worry about this… issue, later. For now, we discovered what was taking the colonists. The Collectors are behind the abductions!" John exclaimed. A dead silence ensued and Alexander's eyes widened under his hood. "Take _that_ to your Assassins, meanwhile, I have a job I am forced to do. Miranda, Jacob, head to the shuttle. Tali, it was so good to see you again. Get Veetor back to the Flotilla, tell them I said hello. You two, get lost."

Alexander and Kairee scowled and left, gesturing for Jane to follow.

"Sorry we couldn't talk, Jane. It's really good to see you again," Tali said, eyes lighting up in delight behind her mask as she moved to leave the scene with Veetor.

"Likewise, Tali. You've always been the little sister we never had," Jane warmly replied.

"I will come back for you, Jane. This is going to be a whirlwind adventure, I'm sure of it. Can't let you miss out," John added with a joyous grin, which Jane returned as she spun on her heels and followed her team back to their shuttle.

* * *

**The Citadel, 2185**

"The entire Bureau has _had it_ with the both of you bickering over this pointless subject!" Jane Shepard cried, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.

She had been arguing with two novices over previous hostile behavior towards each other. One was a Brazilian-Portuguese human named Frederico Corado. The Order found him a few months ago robbing a bakery. They trailed him to an abandoned building in the Zakera ward, where he was found feeding homeless civilians. He was recruited for his rudimentary biotic ability, speed, agility, and selflessness. Given biotic implants, Frederico proved to be a vicious Adept and near-master of the Singularity. He had a passion for designing – weaponry, not clothing, – and had sketched numerous designs for biotic enhancements to standard Assassin gear, including the hidden blade.

The other was Lora Baan, a female Volus with a love of engineering. She had left Irune seeking to make something of herself. She had a run-in with Terra Firma thugs who began assaulting her. She was rescued by an Assassin doing a free-running sweep of the area. Impressed by the finesse and expertise displayed in the killing of the thugs, she offered to lend a hand in the Brotherhood. She took an interest in the ancient yet still highly effective hidden blades, and began working on schematics for technologically innovative blade types. She had begun work on an electric-blade based off of some pilfered Cerberus "electrocutioner" CQC knives.

The two had been fighting each other over the superiority of biotics and tech abilities, respectively. Lora was standing on a table so that she could be at the same height as Frederico as she spoke.

"Well _I_ have had it with this _Volus_ telling me how to be creative!" Frederico spat, his Brazilian accent rather thick.

"Like you're *hkkt* any better, _brute!_" replied Lora. Curiously her accent wasn't _so_ nasal, like so many other Volus. It was actually a pleasant sound, yet believable for her people. She kinda sounded like those geeky girls in the old high school/college vids. You know the ones.

"A blade that zaps things? No match for a blade that _pulses with biotic energy_."

"You know, I started *hkkt* work on a schematic for a *hkkt* _flame_ blade."

"THEY HAVE AN OMNIWEAPON FOR THAT."

"Any better ideas!?"

"I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE TRY MAKING THE HIDDEN BLADE INTO AN OMNIBLADE!"

"You stupid jackass, there is a *hkkt* reason why we don't make omniweapons for the *hkkt* Brotherhood to use! C-Sec would be *hkkt* all over us and trace it back to the Bureau! *hkkt* Our blades are _fine_. *hkkt* Their alloy is undetectable with contemporary security scanning tech!"

Jane's face was turning red with rage. If one had an imagination it would be like one could see steam coming from her ears. **"THE BOTH OF YOU, SHUT THE _HELL_ UP FOR A MOMENT AND LET ME INTERJECT BEFORE I SHOW YOU THE FURY OF BOTH TECH AND BIOTICS, IF I MUST MAKE MY POINT THAT WAY!"** she boomed, and both novices reeled in terror for the moment of solace she needed. She sighed, cleared her throat and brushed her hair out of her face. "Look, as a Sentinel, I am a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. I use tech attacks, and I have biotic implants. I zap and warp on my call. You two clearly have a lot in common–"

"Like _what?_" Frederico interrupted, earning a slap in the face from Jane. He rubbed his jaw and shut up.

"Like your passion for engineering weapons. Both of you have very similar diagrams for new blade modifications. Why not work together or blend your blueprints to make something twice as powerful? Two heads are better than one, so we humans say. Take it from she who has the best of both worlds," Jane said, finishing her thought.

Both novices paused and looked at each other for a brief moment before exhaling. "She… has a point," Frederico conceded, tossing his hands up and letting gravity bring them slapping into his thighs.

"Good. I expect the two of you to work together from here on out rather than against each other," said Jane, smirking as she straightened the collar of her shirt.

Lora gulped nervously and pointed in Jane's general direction. The latter whirled around, expecting something horrible.

Instead she got John.

"Bro!" she called out, slugging John on the front of the shoulder. "You kept your promise!"

"Y-Y-Y-You're-You-You're… _You're **Dead**_." Frederico stuttered like an idiot, shaking fearfully. John looked over Jane's shoulder and gave the novice a look like he was insane.

"Novice," Jane replied, rolling her eyes.

John nodded in understanding. "Well, I have three special surprises waiting for you at the docking bay in Zakera. One, I got you clearance to join our… issionmay against the ollectorscay" he said, bringing the sentence down to a whisper once he hit the Pig-Latin, lest Frederico and Lora overhear.

It took Jane a second, but she deciphered the meaning and smirked, "Won't be necessary," she said, "The Pig Latin, I mean. Alexander Clarke and Kairee Antar both know about the Collector attacks. It's on the Brotherhood's radar at this point, so I don't see why they wouldn't let me help you."

"Good. Go get your superiors and fill them in on the details. Cerberus _is_ involved however, warn them of this."

So Jane turned and left for the Bureau, breaking into a sprint. John sat down on a nearby bench and waited patiently for his twin sister to return. His gaze wandered briefly before moving to Lora and Frederico. To his dismay, just as his eyes fell on the two, Lora pressed her face against Frederico's cheek. While her helmet got in the way, Frederico got the point of the gesture, his face turning brick-red as his eyes bulged. Lora jumped down off of the table and walked off after Jane. Frederico's eyes rolled in John's direction, and he flipped his hood on, stuffing his hands into his sleeves and fleeing the scene.

Time went on, and an hour and a half ticked by. As John was contemplating leaving a note and heading off, Jane whistled for him. She was followed by Alexander Clarke, Kairee Antar, Frederico, Lora, and two Asari. All of them with the exception of one Asari were in armor, carrying luggage behind them. He stood up and jogged over to them, meeting them halfway.

One Asari, Ayana T'Lona, extended her hand for John, who shook it eagerly. "Master Assassin Ayana T'Lona. You are Commander John Shepard, recipient of the Star of Terra for your actions on Elysium. Hero of the Citadel. It is an honor to finally meet you. I am the Den Leader of the Kithoi Ward and District Master of the Council District, second-in-line for the esteemed title Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood," she said, bowing politely.

"A lengthy title. You must be quite powerful," John remarked, checking his surroundings.

"I hold direct authority of Assassin Ops on this Ward of the Citadel and play a heavy role in Assassin Ops in Council-Space. I would agree with that point, Commander Shepard."

Alexander interjected, "She has accepted your request for aid, on the condition that Jane bring us for the ride. We're aware of the properties of the mission," he said.

John blinked and backed away, "Hold on a second. I only got permission for Jane to come aboard. I didn't say _anything_ about… one, two, _six_ other people!"

Ayana chuckled warmly. "I will not be coming aboard. As much as I would like to, I am needed on the Citadel. In my stead, Alexander Clarke will have command of the Assassins working with you. Kairee Antar is working towards her induction as an Assassin Rank One, and these three novices seek to train under them. Frederico Corado is the human, Lora Baan is the Volus, and Eleria T'Geya is the Asari to my right. I hope this isn't a problem, sir."

John shrugged, studying the three novices. "No, not at all, but… The Illusive Man might have a problem with it."

"Not an issue. We sent a maximum security encrypted message to the Illusive Man telling him to reply should he agree to the joint-operation. Our enemies are the Collectors, and by extension the Reapers. Besides, what good is weakening each other when both factions are ever-vigilant of the looming threat? We got an equally secure reply with the A-OK."

That solved that. "So, I also wanted to ask… is there any chance that I could learn more about this Brotherhood?"

"You seek membership?" Ayana inquired, activating her Omnitool, holding it up.

"Why not? Best way to learn is to experience something."

"Hold out your O-Tool."

John reluctantly did as asked, and Ayana waved hers over his, transferring a code. John watched as his Omnitool gradually turned from neon orange to a bright white before his eyes. "What did you do?"

"Simple. Spliced your Tool's ID code with information regarding the Assassins. You're marked as one of us should you be questioned in regards to whatever Cerberus ship you're flying," the Master Assassin replied, deactivating her Omnitool.

"Thank you, I guess?" said John, lifting a brow as he checked his Omnitool for anything suspicious.

* * *

"So, ready for surprise number two?" John loudly asked as the group of seven approached the docking bay.

"What is it, a ship?" inquired Jane. She was _immediately_ muted by her surprise when she laid eyes on her.

_The Normandy SR-2._ It looked just like the old _Normandy_, only this one was bigger! Jane beamed immensely as she sprinted towards the stealth-frigate to check it out. The ship door slid open as Surprise #3 revealed himself. A familiar face limped into view, arms spread wide with a cheesy grin. "You couldn't have forgotten about _me_ right?"

Jane's expression only got brighter as she laughed, hugging Joker gently, mindful of his Vrolik's Syndrome. "Never in a lifetime, Joker."

"Fantastic. Great to have you back, Jane. I really missed the deadly combination of blue explosions and electrical hazards on the daily," Joker quipped, breaking the hug and stepping back, "What'dya think of her? Bigger, better, faster, stronger, stealthier… far more comfortable furnishings, and probably better suited for our mission than any other ship I can think of!"

"A flattering but untrue description of the SR-2. Multiple ships have similar if not better designs and qualities, Mr. Moreau," said a synthesized voice that seemed to come from the ceiling.

"…is that an AI?" Alexander asked as he stepped into the _Normandy_, having heard the voice.

"…and then there's the part I don't like to talk about. I preferred her when she was nice and quiet. Now she's got this thing I _hate_. Like ship-cancer. Meet EDI. Enhanced Defense Intelligence," Joker grumbled, waving his hand dismissively and limping back to the bridge.

Alexander shrugged and made a face that seemed to say, "not bad", before venturing further into the CIC deck, where he was occasionally pelted with trash; the crewmen saw his Assassin insignia. Of course, his shields were only irritated slightly by the soft impact of the cans of _Tupari_ and mint tins as he walked by. Following him were the other Assassins. They gathered around the Galaxy Map and awaited their CO or XO, whoever arrived first.

"Alright, I assume we have new squadmem…bers… oh shit…" Miranda Lawson said, then groaned, when she laid eyes on Alexander, who smiled passive-aggressively at the Cerberus operative.

John and Jane arrived in the CIC to brief those currently gathered. John especially spoke of how difficult this mission would be, and that everyone needed to pitch in and support each other in the months to come.

Alexander would take the stand next, addressing his Assassins on proper conduct around the Templars they volunteered to work with.

"My 'Ten Commandments' are as follows:

**1\. ****No Killing. Period.****2\. ****No Stealing.****3\. ****No Unprofessionalism.****4\. ****Respect Higher Ups in both factions.****5\. ****Only take orders from Assassins and designated Officers of either alignment.****6\. ****#5 Is null if an order is to break #1-4 in direction of the opposite faction of the one issuing the order.****7\. ****Report instances of #6 to Alexander Clarke or Kairee Antar immediately.****8\. ****NO MISSIONARY. Conversions are probably impossible anyways.****9\. ****Thou shalt not be stupid.****10\. **** Thou shall attempteth to get along with fellow crewmen.**

"If anyone has a problem with any of the above, talk with me about it."

After that brief introduction, Miranda announced the importance of building a competant team to combat the Collectors with. EDI's suggestion: Mordin Solus, Salarian Scientist, however, by Popular Demand, they decided to recruit Okeer, Krogan Warlord, and Subject Zero first, as they were both on-the-way pickup missions.

* * *

**Korlus, 2185**

In which the Assassins get their first taste of Shepard insanity. After meeting with Okeer on Korlus, John Shepard, Alexander Clarke, and Lora Baan were sent to deal with a Blue Suns leader and her goons, who had been systematically releasing and killing Okeer's genetically crafted Krogan berserkers.

Armed with a rocket launcher and a YMIR mech, at first she proved to be a nasty challenge. However, with some clever hacking on Lora's part, the YMIR turned on the berserkers and mercenaries and brought them down easily before self-destructing. John Shepard, a vanguard, charged into the fray and cleaned up what the mech missed. Alexander, also a vanguard, went straight for Jedore, the mercenary leader. With a mighty biotic charge, he planted his hidden blade in Jedore's chest, severing her aorta, killing her in the allotted three seconds. Regardless of that, the sheer impact caused her heart to explode anyways, killing her in a shorter timespan. Flicking the blood off of his blade and sheathing it in his wrist armor, he bowed his head and gave Jedore his Assassin's blessing of peaceful rest. "Your deeds condemn you, rest in peace," he murmured before turning and following John and Lora back to Okeer's laboratory.

He was dead. Poisoned. He had left a message recorded for Shepard, telling him to protect his legacy: The Ultimate Krogan Soldier.

Accessing the console, John received a readout on the tank-bred Krogan next to him.

"Perhaps if we cannot have Okeer join us, we can activate the tank and release the Krogan within it," Alexander suggested, studying the being inside the birthing tank.

"I'm not so sure that's smart. I mean, you saw what the others did down there, what makes you so sure that this one won't try to kill us?" replied Lora as she scanned the tank with her Omnitool.

John merely grunted and activated his comlink, "Shepard to Normandy, Okeer's a no-go. Joker, bring her around for a package pickup… and he's a big one."

* * *

**_Normandy_**** SR-2, 2185**

"The subject is stable, Shepard. Integration with onboard systems was seamless," EDI announced as Jane Shepard approached the tank.

"Stand by, I'm going to open the tank and let him out," Jane replied, eyes on the Krogan. They had placed his tank and set up life-support on the engineering deck, at the room on the end of the hall left of the elevator.

"Cerberus Protocol is very clear regarding untested Alien technology," EDI sternly responded, refusing to open the tank.

"He's either a powerful addition to the crew or a time bomb. I'd rather deal with it now," Jane said, unmoved.

"Very well, Shepard. The controls are online. The switch, and consequences, are yours."

Jane stepped forwards and pressed the console, then moved back and watched eagerly as the nutrient fluid in the tank drained and the door opened. The Krogan fell on all fours and coughed the rest of the fluid out before standing and eyeing Jane with malicious intent. Taking a second to wake up, he charged into her, picking her up and slamming her into the far wall. "Human. Female," he muttered, pinning the woman to the wall by her throat, with his forearm. "Before you die, I need a name."

"I'm Commander Shepard and I don't take threats lightly. I suggest you relax," Jane said in a deadpan tone. Nothing was broken, but she would feel the bruise for a while after this.

"Not your name, mine. I am trained, I know things, but the tank… Okeer couldn't implant connection. His words are hollow," the Krogan said, in a shockingly calm but still intimidating enough voice, "Warlord… legacy… Grunt. Grunt… it has no meaning. It'll do. I am Grunt, if you are worthy of your command, prove your strength and try to destroy me."

"You wouldn't prefer Okeer?" Jane asked, lifting an eyebrow inquisitively, "or Legacy?"

"It's short, matches the training in my blood, the other words are big things I don't feel. Maybe they fit your mouth better," Grunt replied, shrugging his free shoulder. "I feel nothing for Okeer's clan or his enemies. I will do what I am bred to do – fight and determine the strongest – but his implant has failed. Without a reason that's mine, one fight is as good as any other. Might as well start with you."

"I have a good ship and a strong crew, a strong clan. You'd make it stronger," Jane said without a hint of fear in her voice and every trace of honesty one could pick up on in a statement such as that.

"If you're weak and choose weak enemies, I'll have to kill you," Grunt said bluntly, strengthening his pin on Jane.

"Our enemies are worthy. No doubt about that."

"Hmm. Hmph! That's… acceptable. I'll fight for you."

"I'm glad you saw reason", Jane said. It was revealed that she had been holding an M3 Predator to Grunt's stomach the _entire time_.

Grunt looked down with, well, a grunt, as he took notice of the pistol. He smiled a little bit, "Ha! Offer one hand, but arm the other!" he said as he released Jane. "Wise, Shepard. If I find a clan, if I find what I… I want, I will be honored to eventually pit them against you," he added with a polite bow of the head, walking off to stand by next to the tank.

* * *

**Purgatory, 2185**

_"I DO THE HARD THINGS CIVILIZED GOVERNMENTS ARE UNWILLING TO! THIS IS FOR THE GOOD OF THE GALAXY!"_ boomed Warden Kuril as he attempted to shoot John Shepard in the head with his gun. Luckily he just hit a crate used as cover.

John, Kairee Antar, and Frederico Corado had boarded the prison station _Purgatory_ expecting no trouble in purchasing "Jack", Subject Zero, and bringing her onto the _Normandy_. Upon being scammed and threatened with imprisonment, the trio had blasted through Blue Suns mercenaries and released Jack, who _decimated_ the station _single-handedly_, setting it _on fire_, _with her **fists**_ _and biotics_. They encountered the Turian, Warden Kuril, as he was leading his men to recapture Jack.

"Frederico, singularity!" Kairee ordered as the Brazilian did just that. It suspended several mercenaries in the air and drained Kuril's shields. Kairee herself pulled out her M92 Mantis sniper rifle and lined up the shots, blasting each floating mercenary in the vital regions she had been trained to aim for, before firing a round into Kuril's forehead. It finished off his shields, broke his tech-armor, and the impact of the mass-accelerated pellet caused his head to break open at the front. The Warden's lifeless body hit the ground with a thud, and John charged up to the platform he was standing on to finish the rest of the mercenaries with shotgun blasts. "Rest easy, Spirits have mercy on yours," Kairee brusquely said as she drew back the rifle's bolt and put in another thermal clip.

After finishing that skirmish, the trio returned to the docking bay where they found Jack in a full-sprint as she took down the guards posted at the entrance without even stopping. She turned her head, saw the Cerberus insignia on the _Normandy_, and became flustered, pacing back and forth and spitting venomous words of profanity to nobody in particular. John led his team up to her and fired a bullet into a guard that Jack had failed to notice in her tirade. She turned back to see John put his pistol away and open dialogue. "What the **_hell_** do you want!?" she barked, eyes fixed on Shepard.

Oh. Going to talk _that_ way? "I just saved your ass!" John growled.

"He was already dead. He just didn't know it."

"My name is John and I'm here to get you off this ship."

"I'm not going anywhere with _you_… you're Cerberus."

"I'm offering to be your friend. You _don't_ wanna be my _enemy_…"

Frederico snickered and stood At Ease, "I haven't seen much of Shepard in action but I know of him. His enemies have a way of dying by Biotic Charge, shotgun blast or smack to the face, or ran over with a poorly driven tank."

"You show up in a Cerberus frigate to take me away somewhere? You think I'm stupid?" Jack snarled, giving John _that _look.

"This ship is going down in flames, I've got the _only way out_, I'm offering to take you with me and _you're arguing_."

Kairee slapped a hand to her face and sighed, "Just… knock her out or something. I think Alex has some antique _Auditore Renaissance_ smelling salts we can borrow to wake her up."

"I'd like to see you try!" Jack boomed, biotic energy swirling around her arms.

"It might just come to that," John replied with a sly smirk.

"You'll have to kill me… Look, you want me to come with you, make it worth my while…"

"Tell me what you're thinking?" asked the Commander as he stepped up closer to Jack.

"I bet your ship's gotta lot of Cerberus databases. I wanna look at those files, see what Cerberus has got on me," answered the psychotic biotic. "You want me on your team? Let me go through those databases!"

"I'll give you full access." John replied without a moment's hesitation.

"You'd better be straight-up with me… so why the hell are we still standing here?!"

"…move out."

* * *

**_Normandy_**** SR-2, 2185**

"Welcome to the _Normandy_, Jack. I am Miranda, John Shepard's second-in-command. On this ship, we follow orders."

Jack was leaned against a wall. She scoffed and looked at Jane Shepard. "Tell this Cerberus Cheerleader to back off. I'm here because of the deal with your brother.

Alexander Clarke, the Assassins' briefing representative, chuckled and uncrossed his arms. "I like her. I might have to use that, 'Cerberus Cheerleader'."

Jack simpered at Alex but said nothing to him. "Miranda will let you into the system," Jane said, "let me know what you find."

"Hear that, Precious?" Jack said in a faux-childlike tone to Miranda, "You and I are going to be friends!" Her tone began to gradually become more and more smug and mocking, "You, me, and ev-er-y em-bar-ass-ing little secret. I'll be reading down in the hold, or somewhere near the bottom. I don't like all the through-traffic. Keep your people off me. It's better that way."

* * *

**Omega, 2185**

"WHAT ARE THESE THINGS ANYWAYS!?" John Shepard shouted as he fired his new M6 Carnifex at a group of Vorcha "boom-squads".

"Vorcha. Discovered them this year, actually. Extremely quick, freakishly regenerative, adaptive to nearly any environment, including the airless one they're trying to create right now," Alexander Clarke explained, throwing a biotic shockwave into a Vorcha "soldier" that tried to pounce and maul him. He watched with a chuckle as it was sent careening into the far wall where it was splattered by the force of the impact. "Drop them in the desert, they adapt on the spot to not need water for longer time periods. Drop them in a _glacial_ desert, they mutate to increase body temperature on the fly. As a result they live for only 20 years and evolution has halted. Thankfully medicine won't do jack to increase their lifespan!"

John stopped firing to give Alex a classic "what the hell" look before standing back up and firing his pistol once more. A bullet struck a Vorcha in the shoulder, ripping a hole in it. To his alarm, the shoulder flesh _regenerated_ and the Vorcha merely hissed in ire, going berserk and charging straight for John. Alexander leapt forwards the way one would when attempting a somersault. He plunged his hidden blade into the Vorcha and knocked it off course, tumbling with it until he had it pinned down. He began to bash the Vorcha's head in with biotic-empowered punches until it went limp.

"Light them on fire, freeze them and shatter them, or destroy the head with a high-powered weapon! Goddamn Vorcha are vicious if you neglect to do one of the three!" a man with greying hair and crude yellow armor shouted, firing a concussive round into the head of an incoming Vorcha. The expected results were realized.

The squad had met with Dr. Mordin Solus, a genius but vicious-when-angered medical doctor and geneticist who sent them to distribute a cure for a plague through the life-support systems of Omega. Inadvertently, in the process they met with Zaeed Massani, a mercenary hired by Cerberus to help the Commanders Shepard and their crew. He was here now, helping John with the cure. The Vorcha had shut down life support systems after their plague proved ineffective due to the quarantine, so objective #1 was to clear out the Vorcha.

It took a while but they did it. Both fans were activated and they finished off the rest of the Vorcha. Making their way back to Mordin, he agreed that a promise was a promise, and that he'd come aboard the _Normandy_. He occupied the tech laboratory on the CIC deck, opening up new opportunities for upgrades for both ship and crew. Lora Baan and Frederico Corado would become assistants of his in the way of technology.

* * *

**_Normandy_**** SR-2, 2185**

After the recruitment of Mordin Solus, the _Normandy_ crew took a brief moment to relax before going after Archangel, the last on the list of dossiers. Over the days of recent, the crew had begun to warm up to each other, at least enough to cease constant bickering. Mordin's prying eventually led to the Assassin-Templar war becoming known to the newly recruited squadmembers Jack, Grunt, and Zaeed, as well as the till now ignorant crewmen. Previously they assumed that Alexander led a group of common assassins: precise mercenaries.

Jack naturally took the side of the Assassins in the inevitable debate regarding secrecy of the war, with the Assassins veering towards speaking of the war with those crewmates aboard the _Normandy_ and the Templars itching to keep their existence clandestine in the eyes and ears of new teammates.

Grunt stayed impartial, waiting to see who the mightier force was, but subtly implied that he had faith in the Brotherhood, as they had the most territory and military strength.

Zaeed, predictably, just wanted the paycheck, and given that his current client was Cerberus he sided with the Templars. "No need to complicate the mission with Goddamn conspiracy theories. Next thing you know we'll have some idiots wearing aluminum foil hats! Just pay me and my gun is your gun."

Joker had a few wisecracks along the lines of "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good… well, anything actually. Me? Give me a ship to fly and I'm happy. Who gives the orders, I don't care, as long as it's John and Jane."

Dr. Chakwas was intrigued by the concept of the war, but otherwise uncaring as to the outcome.

So, fortunately, nobody quite minded the Assassins and Templars as long as no moves were made to impose their philosophies on each other or any neutral parties for the remainder of the mission.

Now all that was left to do was find Archangel…

* * *

**Sutori-Artifex again with some updates.**

**Hope you enjoyed this rewrite!**

**I changed Frederico's nationality/race from Portuguese to Brazilian. They both speak forms of Portuguese anyways, so not much fanon is damaged here.**

**Changed Lora Ban to Lora Baan. Lora worked in the Volus tongue, "Ban" was too English for me… so I took the lazy way out and slapped an "a" on it :D**

**Figured out a way to recount the recruitment and loyalty missions I don't feel like writing for: brief summaries of the missions at the end of a chapter. It keeps my sanity in check, and doesn't completely betray the audience in terms of the course of events in-between chapters. You won't be left wondering what happened exactly.**

**I_ WILL_ be rewriting chapter 3, and as a result may have to rewrite the rest of the story, at least everything _before_ The Rogue Brother (Thane's recruitment).**

**Peace. C:**


	3. Archangels and Demons

**Sutori-Artifex here! Rewrite of Chapter Three! Okay, I got a lot of work to do. I am one step closer to finishing the rewrites.**

**I checked my traffic graph, and… let me just say I am _stoked _to see that I'm getting views _worldwide_. While my main demographic is, of course, in Anglophone nations such as the US, UK, Australia, and Canada, I've noticed that people in places such as Sweden, Italy, Indonesia, and all over the world, are reading my story and (hopefully) enjoying it. It both strengthens and scares me to know that so many people have seen my work.**

**I really must thank all of you for your support. Enjoy this chapter of Mass Effect: Creed!**

**Afterlife, Omega, 2185**

After selecting his squad, which consisted of Alexander Clarke and Kairee Antar, and suiting up in the Armory, John Shepard had boarded the Omega station in search of the _Afterlife_ nightclub… stripclub? Seeing as how this was Omega the lines dividing the two were severely blurred if they existed at all. After slipping past the bouncer, the walk to Afterlife's top level was as simple as it could be. Upon entering the club, John signalled his team to split up; he was going to talk to Aria T'Loak, Alexander was going to eavesdrop on conversations, and Kairee was to ask the bartender for rumors regarding Archangel.

John made his way up to Aria's balcony and sat down on the couch adjacent to her's.

"Shepard," she casually said, calling off her guard, who had his eyes fixed on the Commander.

John watched the guard shuffle off and then turned his attention to the Pirate Queen of Omega. He cleared his throat, "Aria."

"I see you brought my little friend here, again," Aria said, looking over her shoulder, down to Alexander. He had his hood over his eyes as he sat in a menacing fashion, taking a shot of green liquor.

…green?

Shepard had _wanted_ to ask about that fateful day, but believed it to be in his best interest to remain quiet about that subject and focus on Archangel. "I'm here for Archangel," he told Aria.

"You and just about everyone else on Omega…" Aria stated bluntly, staring unimpressed at John.

"I believe we have discussed this," John replied, "but I need help actually tracking him down,"

"Might want to fall in with the mercs. They've got a private room rented out for their recruiting. Check there, get a job… hope they don't figure out that you're there to _help_ Archangel before you can get to him," said Aria, chuckling at John's situation. She silented gestured to her left, towards the door to the aforementioned private room.

John nodded and thanked Aria, before proceeding to ask her about Archangel and details surrounding the Blue Suns, Eclipse, and Blood Pack's anti-Archangel alliance.

* * *

Alexander sat at the bar, head down as he picked up on a rather incriminating conversation between two mercenaries. Thankfully, the music playing currently was a more mellow track, not a dubstep-esque, **LOUD**, beat-dropping chart-topper. So, he was able to hear the exchange clearly. He ordered another drink and slid it over to the Blue Suns merc at the end of the counter. He got a strange look from the inebriated mercenary, but the latter nonetheless gulped the strange alcohol down, as drunk as he was he was in no shape to question or distrust the Assassin.

"Ssshoooooo…" he mumbled, putting the shot-glass down haphazardly and watching it roll away with a giggle. Alexander rolled his eyes, but he knew that the old addage, "A drunk man's words are a sober man's thoughts" would hold true. Eventually. "Wer' gon' after… Archangel! *Hic!*"

That caught Alex's attention. From under the counter, he played with his hidden blade, extending it and retracting it anxiously as he patiently awaited for the Eclipse mercenary's response.

The yellow-armored Salarian was _far less smashed_. "It's a good thing we Eclipse use mechs in fights like this instead of hammered trash like you. And when that doesn't work, masters of tech like ourselves can down shields with a wave of the Omnitool."

The Blue Suns merc chuckled like an idiot, "Pleeaashe," he slurred, "Synthetics glitch. We organics can get drunk, but we sure know how to plan attacks! We're like… like dem ole Seals from 'Murica…"

The Salarian's eye twitched. "Seals? You trained marine mammals to fight battles for you?"

"No, shtupidassh!" the Human spat, "Navy SHEALs. Like the Alliance'sh N7(sheven)!"

Alexander had had enough. At least he knew that Eclipse was packing Mechs, and the Blue Suns had some strategy laid out for Archangel. He ordered yet another drink, two in fact, and when the bartender wasn't looking, he brought the cup under the counter, engaged his hidden blade, and ordered his omnitool to direct a toxin to his blade. He dipped the blade into the purple liquor and let the poison mix. He did the same to the next glass and slid both over to the mercenaries. It was best to deal with _them_ to thin the numbers Archangel would face later…

"Eyyy, thanksh, man!" the Blue Sun hollered, picking up the glasses and handing one to the Salarian, who begrudgingly swallowed the drink at the behest of the drunken Blue Sun. He needed a drink anyways…

Last mistake they ever made. Alexander got up and blended with the crowd as the music changed to a Trance tune reminiscent of Andrew Rayel's _550 Senta_. Both mercenaries became dizzy as they stumbled around, throats constricting and thoughts becoming clouded. The lack of oxygen and the toxin combined caused them to just _lose it._ They started flailing their limbs around as the last lights of life left their eyes and they collapsed in a heap. Those watching assumed that they were dancing terribly to the music and had passed out drunk, and so didn't bother to remove the bodies or investigate.

* * *

Kairee Antar was on the right wing of the club, at another section of the bar, speaking with the bartender. She had just settled in and was ready to start asking questions.

"Can I get you anything to drink, miss?" the bartender asked, setting out a tall glass on the counter.

"Any wine?" came the reply.

The bartender rolled his eyes, "Suuure. I suppose I'll have to serve the Filet Mignon and bust out our finest bottle of _Pol Roger_ just for the lady," he said, in an mockingly elegant, stereotypical French accent.

Kairee blinked, not understanding what either of those were, but she got the message. "Coulda just said no…" she said, leaning on the counter.

"I can get you some brandy?"

"Perfect."

The bartender brought out a cylinder of alcoholic fluid and popped it open, pouring its contents into the glass. After he added ice, Kairee took the glass and a sip of her beverage before clearing her throat and speaking, "What's the situation with all these mercenaries mobilizing troops?" she asked.

The bartender blinked and leaned forwards on the counter. "Listen, miss, I ain't allowed to talk shit about the mercs like they won't find out, but I can tell you this. The Blue Suns and Eclipse pulled a truce out of their asses and extended its reach to the _Blood Pack_. Vorcha, Krogan, and _Varren _K9 attack units. Whatever or whoever screwed them over enough to instigate an alliance is going to become a three-course meal of liver, muscle, and heart – respectively – for the hounds… and the vorcha," he whispered before resuming his duties, walking away to go serve other patrons.

Kairee mumbled incoherently under her breath, assessing the situation and the Blood Pack's involvement. Suddenly a hand clasped her shoulder. A rather tall Turian with dark grey skin tone sat down in the seat next to her. "Hey baby," he said as Kairee shrugged his hand off, "You'd look good up there on those stages, how's about proving it?" the Turian added, tilting his head in the direction of the pole/tabledancers scattered about the club.

"Not interested," Kairee deadpanned, not even sparing the poor SOB a glance.

This irked the other Turian, who slipped a hand to Kairee's thigh, "Alright, you like your _privacy_. I get that. Say, I got a few things we could do behind closed doors…"

"Piss off."

Ouch. The Turian snarled lightly and turned away.

Kairee smirked as she heard another voice hissing for her. "Psst! You, you're looking for Archangel? C'mon, you wanted to know why the mercs were getting' itchy, he'd be the reason. I got some info on where they might be headed and how you can get there!" an Asari whispered, beckoning her over. She scooting over to better hear the woman as she divulged vital information regarding transportation and the destination of said transports. She said she got the information accidentally by hearing a few mercs talking to some freelancers about their contract and had gotten curious.

Meanwhile, the _frustrated_ Turian from earlier had pulled something out of his pocket: a small white tablet which he dropped into Kairee's brandy. He chortled deviously and went to stand up. Unfortunately – for him – the music's volume wasn't as high as earlier, and Kairee was able to distinctly hear a fizzling noise from behind her. Having a _pretty damn good idea_ about what it was, she growled and snatched her drink in her hand, standing up in unison with her would-be-assaulter as she dumped the iced drink on his head, relishing the look of surprise on this face, savoring his distressed subharmonic with an sly yet strangely innocent smirk.

"I think you need to cool off," she quipped, patting the poor fool's shoulder. He growled angrily and vice-gripped Kairee's wrist.

"That's it. Do you know how much it cost me to _get_ that? I'm not leaving empty-handed," he rumbled, malice oozing from his voice.

"I think you'll be leaving _without_ your hands, actually, if you don't get them off of her," Alexander said, arms crossed behind his back as he stood behind the Turian.

The lusting Turian refused to let go, but turned anyways to stare the Human down. "And what are you, her lover?" he snarled, shoving Alexander back.

"No, but I am her friend. And you just pissed both of us off," he said in an eerily flat tone. He thrust his arm forwards and his hidden blade shot out, piercing the Turian's wrist and coming out the other side. He howled in pain and released Kairee, who used his moment of weakness to jab him in the throat with her newly freed hand and knee him in the stomach. Alexander gripped him by the back of his shirt and held him there, striking him in the face repeatedly before releasing his shirt and striking him again. He staggered back and held his bleeding nose, hand and face stained a deep indigo.

"I'll take back what I said about severing your hands, just be glad I'm feeling generous," Alexander sneered, crossing his arms and leaning forwards, "_Get lost_, and if I hear that you made somebody else your victim, I have people on this station who will. Make. Your. Life. A. Living. Hell. Are we clear?"

The Turian was tempted to punch one of these two, but he stood down and ran off, coward he was.

From Aria's balcony, John and Aria saw the whole thing. Shepard merely stared, dumbfounded by how _quick_ it was. "I take it that it was action like that which led to your deal with his organization?"

"Of course. They're brutal, tenacious, yet calm, _precise_, and they get the job done. Lending them the support of the mercenaries, thieves, and… 'courtesans' of Omega was a valuable investment. Their dens in the station ensure that our common enemies are neutralized, and serve as a reminder to follow Omega's _One Rule_," Aria explained, a cold, devious smile on her face. "From what I hear about their history, it seems like we have the whole ensemble back together again for another go at defending our individual freedoms. Happy to make it so, so long as they remember to keep their little toys pointed away from me."

"What do you think _that_ was about?" John asked, before noticing the guards that had taken the poisoned bodies left by Alexander out of the club for disposal. He didn't _hear_ the conversation, he just witnessed the violent resolution of the whole ordeal.

"I don't care what it was about. Fun to watch though. My guess, if I had to guess, was that the two of them are hot for each other. Some _dumbass_ gets in the way, gets aggressive, gets destroyed. Usual business."

John thanked Aria for the help and went down to the bar to go meet back up with the two Assassins. The squad, reunited, walked to the mercenary's rented recruiting office to sign up for the mission to take down Archangel.

"Here to sign up? Standard fee is 500 credits, you get paid when the job is done. If you die your friends here don't collect your share," the recruiter, a Blue Suns Batarian said, "You need your own weapons and armor, looks like you have that covered. And no, this does not make you a member of the Blue Suns, Eclipse, or Blood Pack. You are a freelancer, period. Any questions?"

Alexander stepped forwards and looked down slightly, both hands on the mercenary's podium. "Yes. Can we get past the fee? I don't like having my money drained when I'm signing up to _earn_ money, buddy," he whispered, "This is clearly a shakedown, and due to the amount of freelancers I'm seeing leave this room, we all know that you're paying us less than what we give you in this death 'toll' of yours."

The Batarian grunted, but held his ground. "And I don't like Freelancers leeching our resources when they're going to die anyways," he said, his four eyes going wide in shock when he realized he let too much slip. "Alright, alright, if you don't tell anyone that I told you that, I'll let you sign up for free. It's your funeral though, buddy!"

John took it from there. "Is there anything we need to know?" he inquired, and the recruiter nodded.

"There's a shuttle waiting to escort you to our camp just outside Archangel's hideout. He'd been right under our noses this entire time, too… Just outside the club, down the stairs, take a right on _your_ right to the parking lot. There should be another Batarian Blue Sun waiting to load his Skycar."

John thanked him for the help and left with his squad, however he bumped into a young man on the way out. He looked like he was barely over 20.

"You look a little young to be freelancing as a merc," he said, becoming a little worried for the well-being of the boy.

"I'm old enough! I grew up on Omega, I know how to shoot a gun!" the boy petulantly replied, spreading his arms out to look like a tough-guy.

"Judging from your stance, and the fact that your gun is an M3 series Predator mk. IV Heavy Pistol, you know enough about shooting guns to get yourself shot. Potentially by your own weapon," Kairee retorted, patting her holstered M11 Suppressor.

"I can handle myself!" the boy spat, an indignant lisp becoming apparent. He was drunk, clearly, "Besides, I just spent 50 credits on this pistol, and I wanna use it!"

John stepped up to the boy and grabbed the collar of his jacket. "Get your money back," he muttered as he took the pistol from the boy's hands and slammed his hands into the side, breaking the interior workings of the gun. "You'll thank me later, trust me…" he added, a bit upset that he had to crush a boy's dreams to save his life.

The boy watched downcast as Shepard and company left Afterlife together.

* * *

"So, what the hell was that, back there?" questioned John to Alexander.

"What the lower ranks call _Asshole Alex_," the Assassin replied, "When I'm angry, I get renegade. I… I don't like that side of me, but it gets the job done. I try to be diplomatic and kindhearted when dealing with people I don't know, but… sometimes, I have problems controlling my anger, so I bottleneck it, and often-times it seeps out."

John took a mental note and reminded himself not to get on Alexander's bad side. Not that he couldn't take him, 1v1, but because he didn't want to deal with his bad attitude. "I take it she means a lot to you?" he whispered, pointing to Kairee.

"She's my best friend, yes," said Alex as the trio stopped in front of their escort. After dropping the mention of the recruiter, they stepped into the Skycar and took off for their destination. On the ride to the mercenary camp, Alexander began sweeping her Omnitool for apps to pass time with, when Kairee nudged him on the shoulder.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," she crooned, leaning closer to Alex, "I could have taken him down myself and you know it."

Alexander waved his O-tool away and sighed, shaking his head. "I know, Kairee, it's just… I _hate_ seeing people act that way towards anybody, _especially_ if he was aiming to hurt you," he whispered.

John Shepard kept a silent vigil over the surroundings of the Skycar, but listened in on the conversation. Alexander was seated in between Kairee and him. He nudged Alexander with his leg and cleared his throat gently.

Alex shot him a strange look and continued, "Look, you mean a lot to me, alright? You and I have been through a lot, and you volunteered to join me on a _suicide mission_. _You_ volunteered, but why? Regardless…" he rambled, before being cut off by Kairee, who had leaned over towards his cheek, steadily pulled his hood down, and laid her forehead there, nuzzling him softly.

"I volunteered because I wanted to come with you," she purred, leaving Alexander blushing, red like the lighting on his armor.

…so she reciprocated his feelings for her. Alexander was both overjoyed and terrified at once. They only saw the simulations yesterday, each one saying they both had a 5-9.125% survival chance on this mission. If they were to… be together, one or both of them wouldn't live long enough to see the relationship go anywhere _great_. There wasn't any future in it… on the other hand, he felt that if these were his final days he needed to spend them with those he loved. One of those people was snuggled up to him as he thought this through.

He needed some time to think, but for now, he merely returned the nuzzle and brought his forehead together with hers. "We can talk about this later, but… thank you," he whispered, holding her hand in his.

"Fair enough. I'd… I'd like that, very much," came the reply.

From his window-seat, John proudly smirked, feeling good to have played a part in this.

The Skycar began its descent, parking just outside the mercenary encampment.

Their driver stepped out and briefed them on the mission, who they were to report to, and what he'd likely make them do. After acknowledging orders, the trio went off to go find a Blue Suns leader, Sergeant Cathka.

Along the way, EDI warned them that there was no other way to Archangel than to accompany the other freelancing mercenaries to get in through the front. She also detected the presence of a YMIR mech inside a locked storage room to their left. Kairee looked both ways before sprinting up the wall, removing a vent, and slipping inside the room. She set to work hacking the mech and almost tripped its alarm before reprogramming its Identify-Friend-Foe system to attack indiscriminately. She stepped back, admired her work, and climbed back out the way she came, landing in front of John silently.

"You Assassins always have to do things the strange way," he mumbled to himself as he lead the way to Cathka, who was hard at work on a damaged gunship.

The Batarian turned and adjusted his visor's opaqueness to reveal his eyes, "Sergeant, Cathka," he said, "You must be the group Salkie mentioned."

"Salkie?" John inquired, unfamiliar with the name.

"You met him when you were dropped off. He radioed in and told me you were coming. You all stand out from the other freelancers… hmm… Anyways," Cathka replied, "The Infiltration team is about to give us the signal. Archangel won't know what hit him."

Shepard observed as Cathka reached for a cigarette and lit it, taking in some smoke and asking if the group and any questions. John waved away the second-hand smoke and asked, "Are you leading the assault?"

"HA! Tarak doesn't pay me to fight. I just plan the attacks, and fix this damn gunship… you freelancers get the privelege of-"

Suddenly, a ringing noise was heard as a freelancer came over the radio. "Target is in sight, we're a go."

"Check, Bravo Team, go, go, go!" Cathka ordered as groups of freelancers charged to a protective wall and coordinated with each other to plan a course of action across the bridge. "Archangel has quite a surprise waiting for him… but that means no more waiting for me! Gotta get her back to one hundred percent before Tarak decides he needs her again…"

John looks over at his side and notices an electric welder, and picks it up, approaching Cathka. "You're working too hard," he quipped, ramming the welder into Cathka's back, hearing him scream as the welder shattered his shields, melted through his armor, and penetrated his flesh, burning and electrocuting him. John shoved Cathka forwards onto his face and stormed off with his team, who said nothing, surprised to see this side of the Commander.

The squad approached the freelancers, who had just taken off to serve as a distraction for Archangel. Alexander looked on, "This 'Archangel' character's _minutes_ are numbered. This is an inhumane, but nearly flawless plan," he grimly stated.

"Then I say we go," Kairee responded, thrusting her wrists downwards to reveal her hidden blades. She charged forwards, arms straight behind her as she ran.

"Come on, we'll give these guys a surprise of our own," John announced, cracking his knuckles and barreling over the wall, drawing his M6 Carnifex hand-cannon and following Kairee. Alexander jumped over the wall, subsequently landing on a freelancer before putting his hidden blade in the man's neck, killing him quickly. One of the mercenary's friends turned to signal him and cursed when he saw Alex, who drew his M11 Suppressor and shot his target between the eyes. He reached to his toolbelt and took his visor in hand, putting it on his face and activating the Heads-Up-Tactical-Readout. Kairee put her hidden blades into the back of a grenade launcher bearing freelancer and took the launcher from him, tossing it back to John.

"Shit they're with Archan-GLUK!"

A freelancer had tried to call out to his comrades, but was silenced by a bullet from Alexander, who holstered the pistol and switched to his "Automattock", opening fire on a group of freelancers who made it inside the building. By now they had returned fire, and Archangel had registered that they were friendlies, but they didn't stand a chance against two Assassins and an Alliance N7.

Alexander and Kairee climbed up some support beams to the second floor while John took the stairs. Regardless, both ended up reaching the door to Archangel's room. The three took a deep breath and opened the door, weapons at the ready. Kairee switched to her M92 Mantis and moved to the back of the group.

They trained their eyes on a blue-armored Turian with an M97 Viper sniper rifle. John called out to him, and he held up a finger, a gesture of patience, as he offed a freelancing mercenary outside. He set the Viper down and took a seat on the arm of a sofa, removing his helmet.

Garrus Vakarian.

"Garrus!" John cried, arms spread out, with the intention to give his old friend a brotherly-hug, which Garrus returned, "What are you doing here?" John added.

"Just a little… target practice," Garrus jibed, looking out over the balcony: no more mercs for now. "It's good to see a friendly face. Killing mercs is haaarrd work, especially on my _own_…"

"Since when did you start calling yourself _'Archangel'?_" asked John, who quirked an eyebrow in amusement.

"It's just a name the locals gave me… for all my good deeds. I don't mind it, but please… it's just 'Garrus' to you."

"Archangel. Highest sub-rank in the circle of Angels, divine beings closest to the Earth on the Spiritual Plane. Michael and Gabriel being the two most universally recognized in human Abrahamic faiths. Fitting title for all your deeds against the sinful field that seems to encircle this damnable station," Alexander rambled on, earning a strange look from Garrus.

"I heard you were working with Cerberus… but he does _not_ seem Cerberus, nor does the little lady over there," Garrus crooned, eyeing Kairee.

She put a defiant hand on her hip and rolled her eyes, "And to think I thought you cute; you had to go and call me a 'little lady'."

"Uhh… sir?"

Alexander slammed his hand into his face, causing his visor's HUD to quake and become static-filled for a moment.

John cleared his throat rather stridently, so that he could get the conversation back on track. "She identifies as female but isn't some dainty damsel. You'll see her in action soon enough," he sternly said, "Well, we got here, but I don't think getting out will be as easy."

"No, it won't," replied Garrus as he stood up, grabbed his sniper rifle, and looked Shepard in the eyes. "That bridge saved my life, funnelling all those witless idiots into scope. Buuut it works both ways. They'll slaughter us if we try to get out that way…"

John looked to his left and studied the bridge, "Just waiting doesn't seem like a good option. Got any other suggestions?"

"This place has held them off so far, and with the three of you… I suggest, we hold this location, wait for a crack in their defenses, and take our chances."

Kairee gave Garrus a look that said it all, _you idiot._ "That's basically the same as just waiting, and then getting out _that way_, but put together," she scoffed.

"Ahem. It's not a perfect plan, but it's a plan."

"How'd you let yourself get into this position?" John asked Garrus, chuckling slyly.

"My _feelings_ got in the way of my better judgement. Long story. I'll make you a deal: you get me out of here alive, and I'll tell you the whole damn thing."

"I didn't like sneaking anyways. Time to spill a little merc blood," John said, rolling his neck and stepping up to the edge of the balcony.

"That… wasn't very Paragon…" Garrus grumbled as he followed his old Commander, "Let's see what they're up to!" Garrus lifted his gun up and aimed down the scope, looking around at the bridge. "Looks like they know their infiltration team failed. Take a look, Scouts. Eclipse, I think."

Garrus handed John the sniper rifle and he aimed down the scope as well. LOKI mechs inbound. John lined up a shot and fired, taking the mech's head clean off. "More than scouts. One less though…"

"Indeed, we better get ready," Garrus replied, taking a position in his Sniper's Perch, "I'll stay up here. I can do a LOT of damage from this vantage point. You? You can do what you do best… just like Old Times, Shepard…"

John smiled, patted Garrus on the back, and jumped down to the floor below, M23 Katana shotgun at the ready. With a biotic charge, he rammed into one LOKI and sent it flying back where it exploded against a wall. He shot down several others as Garrus sniped from above. He flipped the shotgun over and hammered into one mech with the handle of the shotgun, flipping it back over, shooting another LOKI, and throwing a biotic shockwave to bowl over a larger group of mechs.

Kairee took up her M92 Mantis and joined Garrus in sniping, taking out a total of seven targets at the given moment. As organic targets moved in, Alexander leapt forwards, somersaulted through the air, and landed on the ground below, biotic-charging into combat with his hidden blades. He collided with one, thrusting his left blade into the face of an Eclipse Salarian trooper before counter killing one that attempted to smack him in the face with the butt of her assault rifle.

He grabbed the mercenary by the elbow and jerked the forearm down against the joint's normal movement path, making her drop the assault rifle on the ground as she cried out in pain. With a few rapid stabs in the stomach, Alexander lifted her over his head and slammed her into the ground on the other side of him. He lunged towards a nearby Salarian and slashed him vertically down the chest, causing him to stagger back in pain. Alexander used his biotics to lift him off the ground and send him to his demise in the endless pit below the bridge. After snap-kicking a LOKI mech's face and drawing his pistol to shoot a more heavily armored Eclipse mercenary thrice, Garrus and Kairee picked up the spare and finished the remaining mercs off, armor-piercing rounds flying in relentlessly, hitting their targets hard and sending them sprawling across the floor.

The Eclipse Leader, Jaroth, stood waiting. He was _fuming_ at this point, and called in the YMIR mech. As soon as it activated however, it turned on the Eclipse, firing rockets without a clue who its intended target was. Alexander and John quickly retreated into the building, dodging a rocket in the process. They hit the floor with a thud, landing next to each other. From upstairs, Kairee and Garrus observed as the YMIR mech utterly annihilated its own team, including Jaroth, before self-destructing.

"Damn, that actually worked…" Kairee said, exhaling in relief as she turned her back against the wall, sliding down into a sitting position.

"Fantastic work, everyone. That takes the Eclipse out of the picture… even got Jaroth in the process. This day just keeps getting better and better," Garrus sniggered.

"You think we can fight our way out, now?" John asked as he and Alex returned to Garrus' room.

"No… there's still the Blue Suns and Blood Pack. Let's see what they're up to…" Garrus replied, walking to the balcony and focusing on his visor's display. A single, blue holoscreen over his left eye had a readout of the entire building and the surrounding area. "They've reinforced the other side… heavily. But they're not coming over the bridge yet. What're they waiting for?"

There was the sound of thunder, and the room shook as an emergency alarm began blaring, muffled by the distance and walls between our heroes and the Blood Pack. "Well, looks like they started using their brains… and bombs," Alexander dryly commented, leaning against the door frame, arms and legs crossed casually.

"Damn it, they breached the lower level! Well… you'd better get down there, Shepard. I'll keep the bridge clear," said Garrus as he checked his Omnitool for a brief moment.

"Let's split up two and two, keep one of my team here."

"You sure? Who knows what you'll find down there…"

John nodded and turned to face Alexander. "Alex, stay with Garrus. Give him biotic and CQC support, keep him alive," he ordered, and the Assassin gave a curt nod, pausing for just a moment before abruptly breaking into a sprint and leaping off the balcony, hidden blades engaged with swirling blue energy around his forearms.

"Thanks, Shepard. Basement's downstairs, west side of the main room behind the stairs. I'll radio directions if you need help but you gotta get down there, quick!"

John and Kairee took their guns in hand and ran for the basement, finding a weapon's bench. John swapped his M23 Katana for an M27 Scimitar before he kept moving down to meet the Blood Pack. There were three hallways, one in front of them, and one on each side of them. Seeing as how the hallway in front of them was closer, John approached a large, green button on the side of the entryway and slammed it. On the far end of the hallway, a door opened to reveal a Krogan and two vorcha lackeys.

They had to hold out for ten seconds. Not bad when you consider that the three were _slow_. Kairee took her Mantis, aimed down the sight, and placed a bullet in between the eyes of the Krogan as John launched a biotic shockwave to push the vorcha back into the hall they came from as the shutter door was sealed.

Heading to the right, John and Kairee entered a warehouse, filled with places to find cover: crates, barrels, trucks, and support columns. Kairee rolled into cover behind a crate knocked onto its side and put her M92 atop it for support taking a few lucky potshots that managed to connect (non-fatally) with a few vorcha, giving John time to dash over to a column, take cover, then jump out of said cover, blazing with biotic power. He jumped up and charged into a Blood Pack Warrior, knocking him off his feet. Expertly firing a shot from his Scimitar, he hit the Warrior in the face, breaking his shields and helmet. Kairee stood up from cover and finished the kill. John threw a Warp at a Trooper on his left and with one hand fired his Scimitar into the head of another, killing them both on the spot.

From behind him, a Vorcha dropped his gun and lunged at John, wrapping his arms and legs around him and biting at his neck, thrashing at his chest. John panicked and attempted to throw him off, shouting in a rage as he punched the Vorcha to no avail. This was the last hostile in this room, so Kairee merely rolled her eyes, actuated her Tactical Cloak, and walked over to John and the Vorcha. She thrust her hookblade into the Vorcha's back and yanked him away, taking out her pistol and propping the barrel up under his chin, pulling the trigger. Wiping the mask of her helmet off, she looked over to John with the classic _"You've got to be joking" _look and walked to the shutter door. Punching the button, the station's VI declared that the door would be sealed in 10 seconds. From over an improvised barricade, a pack of attack-varren were unleashed, running straight for John. Kicking one in the snout as it jumped up and shooting another, he jumped back and began firing indiscriminately at the varren. Kairee had already stabbed two when the shutter slammed shut.

"Good work, now let's get the third shutter closed!" John cried, storming out of the warehouse and to the left hallway.

"Thanks, Shepard. Basement's downstairs, west side of the main room behind the stairs. I'll radio directions if you need help but you gotta get down there, quick!" Garrus said as John and Kairee left for the basement. Alexander was standing in the center of the bridge, a smug grin on his face. With his hood down over his eyes and his attachable visor covering his upper face, he was truly a sight to behold. A group of krogan Blood Pack soldiers crawled over their defensive wall and faced the Assassin down.

"Archangel I understand, but this squishy human? Bah! Grab the bastard, we're draw and quarter him later, feed him to the varren!" their leader said, rudely pointing in Alex's general direction.

"Aw, squishy? And to think I spent so much time at the gym..." Alexander quipped, patting his stomach twice before flicking his wrist out to his side, bringing his hidden blade back out. "Four fully armored, pissed krogan. Whatever am I to do?" he added in a faux-innocent tone. As the four krogan charged, Alex lifted his other hand above his head and clenched it into a fist. A bullet whizzed past his hood and hit one soldier in the jugular with enough force to knock him off his feet and onto his back.

Another roared, signalling his reinforcements. Vorcha poured over the wall and charged towards Alexander, while some skipped this obstacle and went straight for Garrus, who shot them down before they could reach the door. Occasionally a stray pistol shot hit him in the arm or shoulder, but it wasn't anything he couldn't shrug off.

Seeing as how they wanted to close the distance, Alexander indulged them. Swiftly kicking a krogan in the face, he ducked under the stock of an assault rifle that had been swung like a baseball bat at his face. Rising with an uppercut, Alex plunged his hidden blade in the kicked krogan's chin before withdrawing, lunging back, and slashing another krogan down the face, grappling his dropped shotgun as it fell and expending its thermal clip on a group of vorcha that attempted to eviscerate him. The remaining vorcha grabbed their guns but were promptly shot down by Garrus, who simply raised a thumbs up and resumed shooting at the reinforcements coming over the wall.

Using his biotics, Alexander slammed into another krogan, kneeing him in the chest and sending him off the bridge before charging again into the final krogan, the one that swung the rifle at him. This charge was not as forceful and merely staggered Alex's target. The former proceeded to slash the krogan across the chest repeatedly before kicking him in the quad and finishing him by planting his hookblade into the krogan's head, pulling him down and smashing his face into the floor. He threw his arms up, personally challenging the Blood Pack to do better. "I'll use guns this time if it helps!" he shouts as another team of krogan and vorcha hop over the wall.

"You there, your friend and John have two shutters taken care of and are on their final shutter! Keep doing what you're doing! I've never seen anyone crazier besides the Shepards themselves!" Garrus called from the balcony, shooting two Krogan in the faces before Alexander whipped out his M11 Suppressor and aimed it at a group of Vorcha boom-squad troopers, shooting thrice and nailing all three. Slowly backing away from the onslaught, he rolled back over cover and hid, switching weapons and putting his Automattock over cover, firing aimlessly to deter the heavier troops so that Garrus could snipe from above.

He heard things like "scoped and dropped!" and "today's forecast, Red Rain!" among other nonsensical phrases and one-liners.

Garrus needed a hobby. That didn't involve killing things. Badly.

Alex stood back up and expended his thermal clip before finding that he had run out. Rather than go back out onto the bridge and risk being shot by those who had learned their lesson, he got back into cover, switched to his pistol, and expended _its_ thermal clip. The amount of vorcha on the bridge was increasing, and they were densely packed. A lightbulb going off, Alexander reached behind him, grabbed his Lift Grenade, and chucked it over cover. It detonated on the head of a charging krogan, who had made it to the center of the group of vorcha when the grenade went off. Those that were unarmored and unshielded were yanked up into the air, and after counting Garrus' shots up to three, Alex tossed a biotic warp, resulting in a biotic explosion that sent each suspended soldier off the bridge.

There was a quiet.

As Alexander walked into the main room, he heard a crackling from the basement door. He climbed up to the second floor and clung to a column as Blood Pack Warlord Garm entered the building with a group of vorcha and krogan. "Graaah, rip them to shreds!" he shouted as a bullet flew into the head of a vorcha. Archangel placed another thermal clip into his rifle and smirked slyly as Garm looked up at him. "Watch my back… I'll deal with Archangel…"

Another vorcha met his end when several bullets went into his back. He collapsed to reveal John and Kairee walking into the room, guns raised. A couple of Varren loped towards them, lunging, but being stopped by Garrus' well-placed rounds.

Alexander seized the moment, lunging from his column and tackling a krogan to the floor, stabbing him in the face before pitching a biotic warp at a Vorcha which had managed to sneak up on Kairee. He slammed into the wall and collapsed. As soon as the vorcha impacted the floor, he turned to dust and faded away, a direct result of the warp.

"Garm's got me pinned down!" Garrus cried into his communicator. Running up the stairs, John drew out his M27 Scimitar and blasted a krogan in the face, jumping over the corpse and throwing a shockwave at Garm, staggering him forwards as Alexander and Kairee climbed into the room and assumed defensive positions. Garm growled in subtle rage.

"I will not be bested by _humans_ and **_definitely NOT by a TURIAN!_**" he screamed, biotic-charging into Kairee, pushing her over the window and down to the ground below. With a deafening bellow, he shot Alexander in the face with his shotgun as he heard the Assassin scream.

Alexander staggered back, hood flipping off. His barriers were glowing and violently pulsating. They hadn't broken, miraculously enough, but his visor was filled with static as it struggled to get back online. He cursed and detached the visor. His eyes had been revealed, and they were _burning_ with rage. They darted to look over to the main room, and downstairs, was Kairee, unconscious, sprawled out across the floor. An irate huff left his lungs.

"You, my good sir, messed with the _WRONG HUMAN._"

And with that, the sound of thunder was once again heard. Charging forwards, Alexander collided with Garm and smashed him against the wall before jumping back and charging again, breaking Garm's barriers. He threw a biotic warp down and added a punch to the jaw with it. Despite the pain, how much it hurt to use his biotics unceasingly without cooldown, he kept hammering the Warlord before calming down, mostly from the splitting headache he was getting as result of shouting as he over-exerted himself. Breathing heavily, he glanced at John and Garrus before dizzily running away, down the stairs to go check on Kairee. Garrus promptly put a bullet in his face and ended his suffering.

Alexander took one good look at the female turian that lay before him and cried out her name, rushing to her side and ripping her helmet off, checking for a pulse. When he detected one, he scooped her up into his arms and searched his toolbelt frantically for his smelling salts.

He'd always been the subject of a well-circulated but poorly constructed joke regarding these salts; that he was an Auditore Fanboy dedicated enough to keep dated Renaissance medication simply because Legend Ezio Auditore used them during his career. Who's laughing now?

He popped the plug off and waved the metal cone in front of Kairee's nose, silently praying that the ammonia wouldn't kill her, now that he thought about how stupid an idea this was. Medigel only fixed wounds and dulled pain. It didn't wake people up. If it did, Starbucks would be running for its money.

With a cough, Kairee was roused to consciousness, looking up at Alexander like he was insane. "Wh-what is _in_ that thing?" she asked as Alexander stood up, helping her to her feet and proceeding to hug her.

"Thank God you're okay. You _are_ okay right?"

"Yeah… my chest and stomach feel a bit off, though."

"The smelling salts should kill the pain shortly. You _shouldn't_ experience anaphylactic shock, as you didn't ingest anything. Ammonia's got no chirality as far as I know, and if you count the volus, then it _is_ a chirality, but we Levos use it just fine, so…"

The duo limped up the stairs together to find Garm dead on the floor, and Garrus was talking to John. "They're nothing we haven't faced before, besides, besides, he won't be expecting us to meet him hea-" Garrus was saying as a Gunship came into view from behind a window on the farside of the room. It nudged the glass and shattered it, firing haphazardly into the building. Everyone immediately scrambled for cover. "Damn it I thought I took that thing out already!"

"They fixed it, but not completely," John said, throwing a thermal clip into his shotgun, "I made sure of that."

"They're offloading troops! Watch your back!" Garrus called as three Blue Suns mercenaries, including an officer, Jentha, hopped off the gunship and began joining the gunship in firing at the group of four, a joyous chorus of blazing dakka drowning out anything anyone had to say.

"ENGAGING HOSTILES!" Alexander screamed, trying to raise his voice over the sound of gunfire. His voice cracked at the end of his announcement, prompting him to put a hand to his throat and go bug-eyed for a moment in shock. John managed to hear him, and passed a thermal clip to the Assassin, who loaded it into his M11. He charged out of cover into a Blue Suns merc, the impact causing a small, contained burst that startled the other two mercs into ceasing their assault and turning their weapons on Alexander. John threw a shockwave and watched as it pulsed, speeding across the ground and exploding under Jentha's feet. Kairee pulled the bolt of her M92 back and let it go, lifting the gun up and shooting Jentha in the back of the head as she was propelled into the air by the shockwave. She tumbled out the window and smacked the gunship in the cockpit's window, covering a part of it in blood, obscuring Blue Suns commander Tarak's view. He responded by sending in more Blue Suns, which were quickly slaughtered.

Tarak pulled out and piloted the gunship over to the balcony. "Archangel!" he shouted as Archangel dived into more suitable cover, but not before being struck with multiple rounds from the gunship's turret. "You think you can screw with the Blue Suns!?" Tarak rhetorically asked. Garrus boldly lunged out of cover to aim his sniper rifle, but Tarak was ready. A missile had been launched, and its destination was Garrus' face. Exploding over his shields and just barely shattering them, Garrus was sent flying back. His dark blue blood began spilling out.

"GARRUS!" John screamed, remaining in cover. Occasionally he'd raise his shotgun over his head and fire at the gunship like some untrained insurgent or gangster without leaving cover. He did not want to suffer the same as Garrus did. Kairee took Garrus's sniping perch and began putting rounds into the armor of the gunship.

With a successful shot from John, the cockpit of the gunship was shattered, revealing the pilot, Tarak.

Alexander laughed victoriously and reached up to his left shoulder with his right hand. From the pauldron, a thin metal rod popped out for his fingers to grasp, pulling until a narrow, pointed blade was revealed. He handed the throwing dart/knife to John. "Novice, if I can call you thiat… throw the knife. We're doing this the silent yet deadly way,"

"Why can't I just shoot him!?"

"He's wearing armor and as soon as he realizes you're aiming at *him*, he pulls away and starts waving the gunship around. Throw it!" Alexander ordered. Standing up, John does as ordered, and the well balanced dart-knife finds itself lodged in the Batarian's throat. He gags briefly before slumping over the controls of the gunship, which spiraled out of control and crashed on the bridge. Fortunately, the bridge was not destroyed.

Now their attention was turned to Garrus, who lay on the ground, bleeding out. "Garrus!" John shouted again, running to his old friend and kneeling, applying as much medigel as he thought necessary. "Call Joker, make sure they're ready for us!"

"I've seen wounds similar to this. If he makes it it'd be a miracle," Alexander said in a solemn tone.

John glared viciously, "And I _came back to life_, so shut the hell up!" he barked.

Garrus merely mustered up a bloody gurgle, struggling to breath without drowning in his own fluids. For a time it seemed Alex was right.

* * *

**_Normandy SR-2, 2185_**

Jacob Taylor, Alexander Clarke, and John Shepard were conversing in the briefing room, particularly about Garrus.

"Commander, we've done what we could for Garrus, but he took a bad hit…" Jacob said, shaking his head.

"Doctors corrected with surgical procedures and a few cybernetics, so we did well. He'll be at full functionality in regards to the mission, but…" Alexander interjected, just as the door shot open to reveal none other than Garrus himself. His armor around his neck was seared and broken, and a nasty scar was left from the explosion.

"Tough son of a bitch. Didn't think he'd be up _yet_," said Jacob, stifling a chuckle.

Garrus smirked and pointed to John as he approached, "Nobody would give me a mirror; how bad is it?"

Alexander bit his lip as he was about to comment, arms behind his back.

"Hell, Garrus. You were always ugly. Slap some facepaint on there and nobody will even notice!" John said with a laugh, much to Alexander's ignorant shock, evident from the bug eyed glare the Assassin gave the Commander.

"Heh, ooh, don't make me laugh," Garrus said, "damn it, my face is _barely_ holding together as it is."

It became clear to Alexander that the turian was joking with Shepard. Jacob saluted, turned on the balls of his heels, and left in a professional march. Alexander merely stood back, crossed his arms, and listened in on the impending exchange.

"Frankly, I'm more worried about you," said Garrus, after ensuring Jacob left, "Cerberus, Shepard? You remember those sick experiments they were doing?"

John stepped back and relaxed on the table, "That, is why I am glad you're here, Garrus. If I'm walking into hell, I want someone I trust at my side."

"You realize this plan has me walking into hell too. Hah just like old times."

"I almost regret not being on the original _Normandy_," Alexander muttered, drawing Garrus's attention for a moment. The turian shook his head and returned his focus to John.

"I'm fit for duty whenever you need me, Shepard. I'll settle in and see what I can do at the forward batteries."

With that, he left. Alexander followed suit but before exiting the room he turned around to face John. "I was there when they rolled him into the Medical Lab. Your sister saw and was absolutely heartbroken to learn that Garrus had been hit with a rocket. You should speak with her," he said, and he took his leave.

* * *

**Sutori-Artifex here! FINALLY got chapter three done. Some MAJOR changes were made, especially the barfight scene. I decided to shakes things up and make amends for a mistake in the original.**

**In the original, Kairee was harassed by the same guy, but did nothing, and Alexander stepped in and beat the turian down, taking a punch to the eye. He was sent back to the _Normandy_ which, in hindsight was stupid. Then again it was a black eye and he couldn't see as well, but regardless I changed it.**

**Kairee kicked ass, and Alexander helped. He's also more assassin-y, if that's a word (lolnoe). I edited Aria's reaction to make it more in-line with the established fanon that Alexander was responsible for saving Aria's life at one point and the Pirate Queen paid him back by giving the Brotherhood thief, mercenary, and courtesan support, thus "getting the gang back together" as it was in Ezio's time.**

**Alexander accompanied the squad to Archangel's hideout and DOMINATED. If you're wondering about that overkill session with Garm, I figured that the reason for cooldowns on biotic abilities had to do with overexertion. The reason he was so pained to continously charge was because it took so much energy it strained his body and mind, but he was able to fight after some resting time. Yes, he's a total Ezio fanboy and carries around ammonia smelling salts. Correct me on the science if it should have killed Kairee. My logic was that it was ammonia, which is its own Chirality in the Volus. If we Levos can use it just fine, then Dextros should use it without difficulty. And the Volus can snort it for breakfast c: (/brick)**

**And Throwing Knife merely because I felt like it and it was #mlgpro, m8. Roast me for that all you want I don't care :D**

**Chapter Four Rewrite is definitely going to happen, and I am going to rewrite up to chapter five, The Rogue Brother, then let you all decide if I should rewrite Chapter Six. Tell me in the reviews what you think and, if I should rewrite 6, WHY I should. Seven and Eight will remain the same.**

**Over the Horizon is obvious. I'm still kicking myself for that HORRIBLE Jay-Z reference. After a while of letting that stink up my gallery I felt like curling up and dying on the spot. So yeah. Definitely fixing that horrendous piece of trash I call a chapter.  
**

**Peace.**


	4. Over the Horizon

**Sutori-Artifex here! Rewrite of Chapter Four, let's do this! If you're new, the previous version of this chapter was an abomination of mine, and was high on my priority list. Had to edit a good amount of things to make this more presentable…**

**I wrote this against the canon of the original Horizon mission. Dealwithit.**

**Well, I won't waste your time. This chapter should be nice and short, but still better than the original. Chaaarrrge!**

* * *

**_Normandy SR2_****, 2185**

After the recruitment of Garrus, things on the _Normandy_ started to get hectic.

Mordin Solus had set to work coming up with a countermeasure to the paralytic toxins that Collector Seekers delivered upon stinging their victim. How he got the Seeker in the first place? Best not to question it, thought the majority of the crew.

John Shepard received a conference request from the Illusive Man. He spoke of how they managed to detect that the communications systems of Horizon were disabled, a symptom of premediated Collector Raiding. Specifically piquing his interest was the fact that two _Normandy _Team veterans, Ashley Williams and Kaidan Alenko, were stationed together on the planet as a sort of outreach program for the Alliance.

However, TIM was wary of their presence, believing that there was an ulterior motive for the "outreach" program.

After signing off, John ordered Joker to plot a course for Horizon, and he gathered the Ground Squad for a pre-mission briefing. "Alright, everyone listen up," he began, taking a spot at the end of the table, back facing the far wall, "Horizon has lost all communications. Now while this may seem like a technical error, one trait that all colonies that have been attacked by the Collectors share? Lost communications, likely sabotage. The Illusive Man has good reason to believe that the Collectors are coming for Horizon. When they get there, we're going to be down there to meet them."

Miranda picked it up from there. "Mordin will have his Seeker countermeasure and a few vials of experimental antivenom prepared for us when we arrive planetside. We will deploy three groups," she said, activating her Omnitool and displaying a holographic image of her battle plan above the briefing table.

"Two to take opposite ends of the capital city, Alpha and Delta coming from the North and the South respectively," Alexander interjected, "The third will be deployed based on reconnaissance reports, thank you EDI."

"You are welcome, Mr. Clarke," the AI replied over the intercom.

"Aforementioned reports suggest that Anti-Air turrets were constructed planetside to dissuade raids from pirates, slavers, and other low-lifes. They are not online, but could prove useful. Echo Squad will reactivate the AA turrets with EDI's assistance as to drive the Collectors' Cruiser off."

"Who we're sending on each team," John continued, "Is what we're discussing _now_."

Alpha Squad was composed of John, Garrus, and Mordin.

Delta Squad was composed of Jane, Alexander, and Grunt.

Echo Squad was composed of Lora Baan, Kasumi Goto, and Frederico Corado.

* * *

**Horizon, 2158: Alpha Squad**

The Collectors had attacked, and that was the cue. The _Normandy_ dropped the shuttle down with Alpha Squad. Their mission was to directly combat the Collectors and provide time for Delta Squad to rescue any colonists not yet taken by the Collectors.

John was first to step off. "Mordin, is this countermeasure going to work?" he asked as the Salarian disembarked with a smile.

"Unsure. Experimental Technology with emphasis on 'experimental.' Will have to test them on Seekers themselves. Should confuse them, prevent them from detecting us in small groups."

Garrus was the last to leave the shuttle, and upon hearing Mordin's answer he chuckled heartily and shook his head, mandibles clicking. "That sounds reassuring," he said with an obvious touch of sarcasm.

John advanced, signalling for his team to come forwards with him. He stuck to cover and only poked his head over to check if there were any Collector ground troops in the area. After about a minute, they laid eyes on their first Collector. A lone drone sorting through the paralyzed bodies of Colonists.

Garrus popped out of cover and quick-scoped the drone in the forehead as it dropped a body into a floating pod. The sound of the sniper rifle firing drew attention, and John vaulted over the crates he was using as cover to storm towards the line of Collectors, biotic-charging into their leader and shotgunning it in the face. Mordin whipped out his M6 Carnifex and provided cover fire as John ran back to cooldown and reload, occasionally firing an incendiary blast on top of that.

Using his Omnitool, John connected to his shotgun and set its ammo type to Incendiary. He then, rather haphazardly, brought his gun over his head and his cover and fired it into a Collector that had just happened to be standing over him. Predictably it ignited, flailing about as it burned and eventually died, being reduced to cinders.

Garrus continued to fire Ammo-Piercing rounds from his position before running out of thermal clips for his Mantis. M8 Avenger in hand he joined Shepard and Mordin in closer combat, finishing the rest of the Collectors off.

By now, the Collectors were well aware that there were people interfering with their mission and sent reinforcements to attempt to take them out.

Regardless, it was only a minor setback for Alpha Squad, who held their ground and continued to advance through the colony.

* * *

**Delta Squad**

After dropping off Alpha Squad at the north side of the colony, the shuttle came back around for Delta, whose mission was to find and rescue any colonists yet to be shipped off to the Cruiser.

Dropped off at the south side, Jane Shepard, Alexander Clarke, and "Grunt" moved through the colony with little resistance as a result of Alpha's actions on the other end of the colony. Unfortunately, their mission was just as empty: the Collectors worked quickly, and most of the colonists were shipped off.

Just as Jane was thinking about turning back, Grunt charged with an infuriated roar, plowing right over a Collector Captain who had been posted at the entrance of a spacious courtyard. Jane and Alex caught up with him and met a terrifying sight: A Praetorian.

A massive, crab-like monstrosity constructed of unknown materials. In its mouth, dozens of heads belonging to husks gnashed their teeth and squirmed about as the Praetorian glided over a group of pods.

"Get down!" Alexander ordered, sliding into cover and pulling out his M11 Suppressor. "Whatever that thing is it, it's obviously of Collector Origin. It looks _deadly_," he continued as Jane and Grunt joined him behind a stack of large storage barrels.

"If it can die, I'll make it die," Grunt retorted, pumping his shotgun and charging out of cover to meet the Praetorian.

"He's going to get us killed!" Alexander shouted, running out of cover and opening fire on the Praetorian. Grunt launched himself off the ground and body-slammed the Praetorian, causing it to tumble through the air as Grunt riddled it with shotgun blasts. Firing off a concussive round, he kept it rolling as Alexander leapt up with his biotics and switched to his Mattock, unloading its entire clip into the multiple heads in the Praetorian's gaping maw. The Praetorian crashed onto the ground and raised a biotic barrier around it while it regenerated.

Alexander took the hint and retreated. Grunt, meanwhile, was busy trying to break the barrier with the butt of his shotgun.

The Praetorian's barrier detonated, launching Grunt back as the Praetorian took to the air. Its armored back had two "eyes" facing forwards. These began to glow, and fired two, blue lasers onto the ground, quickly catching up to Alexander. Jane rolled out of cover and raised a barrier to block the laser, effectively sparing Alexander from a horrible death.

They had to kill this thing before reinforcements arrived to take the colonists and finish the fight in their favor.

* * *

**Echo Squad**

With the Collector operation torn between the northern incursion and the southern S&amp;R team, Echo Squad was able to arrive at the AA Tower without pulling any threat from the Collectors. Kasumi immediately went into cloak and leapt from the shuttle as it descended, moving ahead to plant EDI's connection downlink. Frederico and Lora waited for the shuttle to land, before the former put up a barrier, walking back towards the entrance to the AA Tower's interior as to provide cover in the case of a surprise attack.

EDI set to work performing various diagnostic checks while Lora deployed a holographic repair drone to assist her in bringing the tower back online.

Kasumi would lend a few parts every now and then as the Volus labored.

Meanwhile, Frederico was busy at the entrance, sitting down against the door frame, arm on his knee, looking out in the distance when he took notice of a minor pack of Collectors on a patrol. Drawing his M3 Predator, he began shooting, killing one before the rest went on the offense. He held them off with a singularity but a few slipped through, their assault rifles firing into the tower and striking the console Lora was working on. She dropped down and activated her hidden blade, ready to charge if need be.

Kasumi, still cloaked, slammed a button on a nearby wall, shutting the doors and locking the tower down. "Finish up with whatever the tower needs! Alpha and Delta need the AA support!" she cried, and Lora got back to work on the tower.

"Look, it's not that –hhkkt– easy, okay? –hhkkt–, I need to calibrate the –hhkkt– targeting matrix! You want –hhkkt– it done quick, or able to shoot straight?" the Volus replied.

"Give her time! I can hold them off!" Frederico declared, standing in front of the closed shutter door, arms charged with biotic energy.

"Your funeral Freddy, but sure. Wait for the doors to break, and go to town," Kasumi said, cloaking and going back to sit beside the console. "Here I thought this would be a boring assignment!"

* * *

**Alpha – Delta Squads**

"John, this is Alexander, come in!"

Static, before a reply. "What's your status?"

"Pinned down, Collector equivalent of a _tank_, only this S.O.B. _flies_," Alexander said, popping out of cover to fire a few potshots at the Praetorian.

"What do you want us to do!?" John barked. Gunfire was heard on the other end. Clearly busy.

"I'm pinging our location now! Bring the boom, Commander. We've got the only survivor pods here with us and we need this damn thing dead before reinforcements arrive!"

Alexander threw a warp into the air, underhanded. It exploded high up into the sky, serving as an explosive flare for Alpha Squad to follow.

Grunt had been assisted and brought over to cover, aiding the others in the defense, taking a few wild shots at the Praetorian whenever it got close.

"Echo Squad, status on that gun!" Jane called, ducking out of cover to unload the thermal clips of her N7 Hurricanes.

"30% and rising, ETA 15 Minutes, hang in there!" Kasumi's perky voice called over the comms.

"Any resistance?"

"Some, not a large group. We've locked ourselves in and are preparing for combat. 40% by the way!"

Nice.

Jane fell back into cover behind a nearby pillar. "Alex! Biotic Warps on my call!" she ordered. Three seconds… and the signal was given. They threw one warp each, both making contact with the Praetorian and causing a biotic explosion, sending it flying back. Alexander took a lift grenade and tossed it overhand. It landed on the Praetorian's back and detonated, adding to the carnage. Grunt fired another concussive shot into the heads of the Praetorian, a few bursting like grapes. It recoiled and attempted to prime itself for regeneration. Alexander slipped out of cover and over to two, lined up Collector pods, using them as cover. He fired his entire clip into the Praetorian, doing even more damage before, in a panicked rush, slipping back down into cover when the Praetorian lifted its bubble. Unbeknownst to him, he activated both pods and opened them.

From the first one crawled a young woman in white and bright-red armor, who hit the ground with a thud and reached for the M8 Avenger placed nearby.

"I don't know who you are… but thanks," she said. Her strength returning to her, she stood and quickly ran around the pods, lifting the second person out of it.

Average height, black armor, and a haircut that reminded Alexander of… Elvis Presley? Regardless, any help he could get right now would suffice. He said nothing in response, simply giving the duo a blank glance before returning his full attention to the Praetorian.

The man bent down and grabbed his own assault rifle, joining Alexander and the woman in a chorus of bullets, hammering the Praetorian's bubble, which detonated before the Praetorian could finish repairs. The woman threw a frag grenade, breaking a few more of the husk heads inside the floating tank. The man threw a biotic warp, accompanied by Alexander's shockwave and another warp from behind. The man whirled around, trying to find the source of the other warp when his eyes met Jane's.

"Jane! You're here!?" he cried, and ran over to meet her, reloading and raining down bullets to the damaged Praetorian. The woman did the same, firing another concussive shot. They were pretty much victorious at this point anyways. Jane wrapped her arms around Kaidan and smiled as Ashley arrived.

Alexander retreated as he heard the sound of a M920 Cain being fired off, throwing himself through the air and hitting the soft ground, sliding underneath one of the platforms as the Cain projectile exploded in a glorious mushroom cloud, utterly annihilating and vaporizing all traces of the Praetorian, leaving only the cloud and a scorch mark where the Praetorian once floated above.

"John, you always know how to make an entrance!" Alexander cried, heart racing. Had he been any closer he'd have been _gone_.

"No kill like overkill, am I right?" he smugly called back. His eyes fell on Ashley Williams and he dropped the Cain on the ground, running to embrace her. He had sent Garrus and Mordin back to cover him while he went to kill the Praetorian. They were doing a good job at it, as there had not been one Collector who had slipped past to kill John.

"Skipper! You're supposed to be dead!" she said, returning the hug with unparalled joy.

"I got better," he replied as he broke away, a cheeky smile on his face.

"And we're aalll one big happy family," Alex said, flipping his hood back and revealing his face.

"Who's…?" Kaidan whispered.

"Alexander Clarke, an associate of the Commanders Shepard. I assure you I am not with Cerberus, if that was your question."

Silence, for but a moment. "Well you know what, to hell with you too, Clarke," John flatly retorted.

"Yeah, I was about to go there. I'm hearing awful reports of your involvement with Cerberus, John, Jane," Ashley said, quirking a brow.

An eerie silence filled the air. Grunt blinked a few times, and, deciding that verbal fighting wasn't his area of expertise, walked away to go check the ashen spot where the Praetorian used to be... and maybe shoot at it a few times. "We're _not_ working for Cerberus," John replied, blinking placidly, lifting his hand in a dismissive gesture.

"That's not what numerous surveillance reports say. There's another _Normandy_ flying around with a Cerberus Logo on its side. Disembarkation data also says that you're the ones stepping off the Ship. Joker and Chakwas too? Garrus, even? What the hell is going on here, Shepard?" Kaidan Alenko growled, pointing a finger at John.

"Hey, whoa! You haven't referred to him by his last name since Virmire!" Jane shouted, and Kaidan turned his head to face her.

"And you just blindly said yes when he asked you to come aboard, not thinking about the Alliance? What they would say? How dare you turn your back on everything we've ever stood for and not even call me to talk about it?" rambled Kaidan, "We've seen what Cerberus is capable of!"

Jane was fuming at this point. If anything set her off about Kaidan, it would be this next little detail; "You don't think, that I've BEEN trying to call you and talk to you for an entire _damn **year?**_" she boomed.

"I've been busy!"

Alexander grabbed him by the shoulder and punched him in the stomach with his free hand, shoulder-hand moving to his neck upon Kaidan's recoil. "Too busy to at least leave a message or an email, I take it?" he whispered, "We just saved your ass. I can say for certain that Jane does not work for Cerberus, rather she works for a much greater cause, in my honest opinion. One that fights so that we can _have_ opinions," he continued, Kaidan's eyes watering from the force of Alex's vice-grip. "Now, at the very least, you're going to come aboard the _Normandy_ for the sake of getting your ass back to the Citadel so you can report to Councilor David Anderson, who also happens to be Alliance, at a higher rank than you. He should be able to sort this out, are we clear?"

Kaidan managed a nod, and Alexander released him. Ashley stepped up and slammed her fist into Alexander's nose, just barely missing the point at which it would have been broken. That didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell, and Alexander recoiled with a sharp shout, staggering back and holding his armored hand over his nose. Blood.

"Ash!" John cried out, holding the soldier back as she tried to advance on Alex.

"With all due respect, Commander, that son of a bitch is going down!" she hastily replied.

John fell silent for a moment, "Since when did the hidden meaning of 'with all due respect' change, Ashley?" he finally murmured, and Ashley's struggling ceased.

"I… skipper, I didn't mean it like that, I only-"

"Yeah, sure. Lost respect for me when you heard the reports?" He said, releasing her arms. Alexander stepped back as Ashley turned.

"Kaidan… we're done. It's over. You don't talk to me for over a year and a half because work is 'too important', and you completely disregard my side of the story, in such a rude manner if I may add, when we finally do reunite. I'm done with you. Though, as Alex said, report to the _Normandy_ when this mission is complete. We'll shuttle you to the Citadel and you can gripe with Anderson about it…" Jane sighed, giving Kaidan one last, pained look before turning and walking away.

Ashley frowned, looking right into John's eyes. "Cerberus, John. You could have easily ditched them whenever and come to the Alliance for help!"

"Cerberus is the only organization actively battling the Collectors! _THEY BROUGHT ME BACK TO LIFE, ASHLEY. They gave me **another Normandy, got Joker and Chakwas on board, and damn it, without them I wouldn't have Garrus, Jane, or anyone I held dear at my side again.**_"

Ashley's glare faltered. So, it was true, then? John was _brought **back** to life_, by Cerberus? …they did recreate the Normandy, hired Joker, Chakwas… gave John a way to find Jane and Garrus… it could be just like old times.

"I… I'm sorry, John… you're right. I might not be a big fan of aliens, and Cerberus may be extremist… but you're right. I owe them one thing, and that's bringing you back. I'll… consider everything, but… John?"

"Yes, Ashley?"

"Can _we_ take a break? This is a lot to think about, and I feel that I've said, done, some things, today…"

John nodded and looked out over the railing at Grunt, who was still poking the Praetorian's corpse with his shotgun. Easily entertained by death it seemed. "Sure thing. I can understand that this is a lot to take in, and you handled it better than Kaidan. Alright, we can break it off for a while. See how things go, see other people."

Alexander interjected, holding his cloak over his nose. John gave it a glance and briefly pondered the washability of the cloak before listening to Alexander speak, "This is 'nice' and all, but we need to finish the mission."

Just then, their comms started up, with Lora's voice reporting in. "-Hhkkt-, Anti-Air tower is up, the GARDIAN should be firing, -Hhkkt-, shortly!"

Alexander turned his attention to the Collector Cruiser, floating ominously above the colony. He smiled as it received fire from it's right side as the GARDIAN turret hammered it with blasts from its laser. Eventually, the Collectors got the message and began to take off after a swarm of humanoid Collectors flew into the bottom of the pillar making up the Cruiser.

He reached for John's hand and shook it, "Good work, Commander. Go round up the rest of the squads, and call for evac. I'm going to go plant a distress beacon. We got plenty of survivors in pods down here who have witnessed the Collectors for themselves."

John patted Alexander on the shoulder and, with Ashley behind him, ran to regroup with Echo and Delta.

* * *

**_Normandy_**** SR-2, 2185**

The flight to the Citadel would be silent, as John, Jane, Kaidan, and Ashley sat in the Starboard Observation deck, looking at each other or the floor. Not a word was said the entire flight. Everything they had to say to each other was evident from their body language. John was exhausted, but not particularly upset, Jane was pissed with Kaidan, who was wallowing in his own guilt and conflicting animosity towards Cerberus. Ashley was just upset that she even suggested breaking up with John for the time being, but was happy that she had one less problem to deal with in the coming storm.

From outside, in the Mess Hall, Alexander was seated, feet propped up on the table, hood down. He had switched to his Levantines, seeing as how they were lighter and more comfortable to wear on down-time. He was speaking with the Novices about their performance. Kasumi was present, cloaked and sitting cross-legged on the table.

"Your performance today was nothing short of spectacular. Holding off a force that was trained to a level of uniform elite, not to mention better armed, and in bulk," Alexander summarized, twirling his pistol by the finger-guard. The safety was on, of course. "All the while, you multitasked this with the repair of an extremely complex, hard-to-calibrate military grade laser cannon to provide AA cover and expel the Collectors from the planet, stopping them from taking anymore colonists than they already did."

"I take it you're impressed?" Frederico said with a laugh.

"More than impressed. So much that I'm offering the two of you promotions to Apprentice, up from Novice. A small bump but a symbolic one. You've proven that you're not mere Novices and you are ready to be assigned to Master Assassins for training."

Frederico's eyes bulged, and he froze in his seat. "Y-you're serious?!"

"Of course I am," Alex replied, holstering his gun. "But I've given you the choice to accept or decline, and then another choice to leave the mission for advanced training, or learn under Kairee and I."

Lora slammed her hand on the table before Frederico could speak, "We accept!" she shouted, and Frederico shrugged and nodded, "-Hhkkt-, we're also staying here, -Hhkkt-, it'd be stupid to abandon you now while, -Hhkkt-, the Collectors are still at large!"

Alexander smirked under his hood. "So be it. The two of you are to be my apprentices with Kairee assisting me in my teaching. You also now have basic authority over Masterless Novices, this includes Eleria, until she proves herself capable of more than basic combat effectiveness. Omnitools, please?"

The two Apprentices held their arms out and activated their Omnitools, starting up their Brotherhood application and checking their status. Their ranks had been officially altered from Novice to Apprentice. Frederico pumped his fist and shut his tool off, thanking Alexander before walking away with Lora "to work on our blade designs."

A nice dream the two had. They could probably do something, but their educations in Engineering were journeyman at best. Still, might as well see where it'd go.

Alexander stood and walked to his dorm, sitting down at his computer to chat on the ship's rudimentary chat network. He received an alert. Someone was at his door. "Come on in," he called, and the door opened to reveal Kairee as she walked around to his desk.

"Hi," she said, nervously, which caught Alex's attention, "I just wanted to talk, about last time, at Omega…"

"Go right on ahead. I'm sorry we didn't get to discuss anything earlier," Alex replied, turning away from his computer, standing, and walking around to Kairee, sitting next to her on the desk.

"That… moment, we shared. You've thought about the possibility of an _'us',_ right?"

Alexander blushed. "I have," he murmured, looking down at his feet.

"And?"

"I'm willing to give it a shot," he finally said, after a brief moment of silence for some additional last-second consideration. Kairee smiled as Alexander stepped away from the desk, to the center of the room.

"You sound unsure," she said, with a smirk. She knew he was serious. They knew each other well enough to understand each others' body language.

"No, it's not that. Just… 9.125% survival chance at the most?! Kai, if there were a serious chance that we'd both make it, I would have kissed the hell out of you in that damn skycar and agreed to a relationship on the _spot_," said the distressed Assassin. "If I go back to the Citadel in a coffin, and you still draw breath… in whatever Afterlife there is that's not the club, I would be forever tormented by the pain I put you through!"

Kairee walked over to him and took his hands in hers. "And you don't think I'm willing to risk that as well? If I die, and you survive? I'll have died the happiest woman in the Galaxy, fighting by your side in the heat of our greatest battle. In Turian culture this is a tremendous honor," she replied, wrapping his arms around her waist. "And the spirits will grant me the honor of becoming your Guardian Spirit. I'll _always_ be with you."

Alex chuckled as Kairee's own hands came up to his shoulders. "While that's reassuring in its own strange way, I'm afraid that there are no Human religions that have 'martyr insurance' listed as a benefit of Heaven or reincarnation," he said.

"To hell with that damn simulator. It's a low-class questionnaire processor no better than those stupid 'Which _Galactic Direction_ member would be your boyfriend' quizzes on the extranet," Kairee quipped, "It has no concept or anticipation of Collector combat strength, nor does it perceive the legendary 'human spirit', Turian diehards, Krogan berserkers, and Organic tenacity in general. We're going to win, and both of us are going to survive."

"And then we can see where _we_ will go. Honestly, I'm thinking about seeing Palaven for the first time."

"Or Earth. I really want to see Earth. Italy or France, specifically. Heard a lot about those nation-states."

"Never seen Earth before either, as I was born on Eden Prime... that should be fun. Okay, squash the Collectors, then vacation on the Mediterranean?"

Kairee rested her forehead on Alexander's. "I'd like that," she whispered, looking Alex in the eyes. She saw him slowly close his eyes and close the remaining distance between them, mouth parting slightly. Unsure of what exactly he was doing, she followed along until his lips made contact with her mouth plates. It felt so foreign, but oddly relaxing. Her hand slid up to the back of his head as she held him. She never noticed how soft his hair was before…

Alexander's mind was spinning. He was surprised he'd even get as far as getting his arms around Kairee. _This was his first kiss_..

Yeah, think what you will, that he's a total loser… and he _sort of was for a time_. He went to High School, and even attended Prom, sure, but he was adamant that it'd never last, and so didn't really invest in any serious teenage relationships.

He was surprised by how right it felt to him. She didn't even have lips, per se, like an Asari or Human. Their kiss lasted for a minute. Kairee had slowly figured out what was going on and adapted to it, deepening the kiss near the end of the minute.

Alexander broke away and smiled lightly, a hand coming up to stroke her "cheek", which was a bright blue from her own blushing.

"I take it we're definitely going to give this a shot?"

"Of course. As for our… differences… I can always take Mordin up on his offer to learn more about your kind's physiology. We're Assassins. We overcome the insurmountable every day," Alexander replied. Kairee nodded and hugged Alex.

"I love you, Alex," she said, nuzzling his neck affectionately.

"Likewise, darling," he whispered, returning the hug, rocking her in his embrace, "We're going to give this our all, and if our all doesn't cut it, we're going to die in each other's arms. To the end."

"Mmhm…"

He had every intention to fulfill this promise. But, fortunately, the end was far from them. They still had a squad to complete.

And when they're done, they're going to give the Collectors pure hell.

* * *

**Sutori-Artifeeeeeeeeexxxxxx…**

**I fixed. So. Much. In this rewrite. Okay, I basically just cut out the final battle scene and changed the Ashley-Kaidan encounter to a much more mature, sensible one.**

**Kaidan and Ashley are still no longer the lovers of the Shepards. Only I made sure it made more sense. Jane had every right to want to stop seeing Kaidan romantically, and it seemed appropriate for Ashley to want to take a break to sort things out with herself.**

**Added a bunch of fluffy AlexKairee stuff to the end of the chapter because I love this pairing to death and wanted to write to describe the moment they actually got together. To me, _it's so freaking adorable._**

**Eh. Tell me what you think of the pairing in the reviews. No flames, please. I had an issue with that on another story and, while I think I handled it well, I don't want a war in my review section between a bunch of anons xD**

**Much thanks to Skyoria, btw. Skyoria's been so supportive of my story from its very beginning, and has been a great source of inspiration for writings in the near and distant future of this story, as well as a source of support for the AlexKairee pairing and the original characters in general. C:**

_**Okay, Rewrites are now a low priority issue. The Rogue Brother could be edited if you all think I should finish the rewrites off. But for now, I'm going to work on Chapter Nine! WOOOT!**_


	5. The Rogue Brother

**((Note: I will be mucking with the Recruitment Mission's events, but I will try to keep some dialogue, minor encounters, and important, unavoidable sections of the Mission. I feel that I'm within my rights to do so, given how much I've AU'ed this story already. c:))**

**Normandy SR2, 2185 **  
The Normandy gracefully glides through deep space, en route to the Asari Colony "Illium".

In the Laboratory, Executive Officer Miranda Lawson asks for Mordin Solus, who promptly arrives with a smile. "Miranda, what can I do for you?" Mordin asked, putting his hands together respectfully.

"I received a call from The Illusive Man. He wants you to check Mr. Clarke's DNA again. He didn't say why, he just did." Miranda shrugged. Mordin frowned at this and turned.

"Ah, yes. Had been hiding this for quite some time… DNA, unusual… Studied it, uncovered something strange, inhuman, but similar. Implications… problematic," Mordin rambled, shuffling around on his desk to find a Datapad with info on Alexander Clarke.

"My God…" Miranda said, gently reaching for the pad and looking over the images and calculations.

Mordin perked a brow, "Possible Recognition of DNA. Good, good," Mordin said, smiling….

**Nos Astra, Illium, Terminus Systems, 2185 **  
The Normandy flew in, ready to land in Illium. At Miranda's urging, John Shepard agreed to take the crew on "shore leave". Besides, he had to return to find Thane Krios, after the recruitment of Samara. He promised Shore Leave would come later, but for now, he had to track down Thane, in any way he could. There wasn't much talk about the next recruitment after Samara, so it came as a shock to multiple crewmates when Shore Leave was delayed.

Commander John Shepard called his Squad to the briefing room to prepare for Illium.

"Men, as you know, I have delayed your shore leave on account of a potential recruitment here on Illium. The name is Thane Krios," John said, sliding a datapad to the center of the table. Instantly, Alexander's eyes lit up.

"Thane Krios?" he asked, and Shepard nodded. "Thane Krios was one of us at one point… that little Toad abandoned the Brotherhood. He went rogue, started freelancing, though I must say, he could very well outdo the Mentor; he just hasn't been contracted yet," Alexander explained, and John's eyes widened in shock. This was definitely a dangerous man, and he was glad that his dossier was included in the list.

"So this must be personal I take it?" he asked.

"Not completely. He ditched the Brotherhood. It's not like he walked up to me and beat me senseless, so no, it's not really that personal. Just business," Alex reassured the Commander.

"Then I'm taking you along for this," John said, and his twin began to laugh.

"Umm, this man is a Rogue ex-Master Assassin… You would be killed again instantly if you made a wrong move. So if you don't mind I, the one with more Brotherhood experience and training, would like to take this one," Jane Shepard said, smirking at John, who then decided to just give up there and let her take control of the squad, made evident by a defeated toss-up of his hands.

"Alexander, I'm going to need somebody with your CQC skill. If the stories about Krios are true, I need somebody who can defend the team in close-range," Jane said, gesturing to Alexander, then to Kairee. "Kairee, I need somebody skilled in Long Range marksmanship, and a good hacker, besides," she added. To be perfectly honest, she knew that they worked best when together.

"Is there anyone else you want to take with you?" John asked, casually looking around the room.

"I'll take Miranda. I could use the Biotic Support," Jane replied, grinning at the XO, who facepalmed at the notion of being that one Templar in an all-Assassin group. Not a good day for her, but at least she'll be able to report her earlier findings to Alexander.

The Shuttle transported the quartet planet-side, to the city of Nos Astra. There, an Asari accompanied by two LOKI mechs met them there to give a simple greeting.

"Welcome to Nos Astra, Commander Shepard, we've been instructed to wave all docking and administration fees for your visit!" said a young Asari, "My name is Carina."

Alexander stepped up, looking irritated. "That's a lot of firepower for a 'friendly' welcome. Are you expecting trouble?" he asked, moving his hand to his M11 Suppressor. Kairee placed her hand on his, glaring daggers at him, which seemed to calm him down or "speak" some sense into him. He left his gun be and stood at ease.

"We're the gateway to the Terminus Systems, sir. That element of risk requires greater security," Carina clarified, and Alex nodded in approval.

"Please, enjoy your stay," Carina said, smiling and waving off the Mechs. She walked off and left the team alone.

"Alexander, if I may have a word with you, we seem to have…" Miranda tried to say.

"Not now, Miss Lawson, we need to focus on finding Thane Krios," Alexander interrupted, backing away, then turning and walking off. Miranda sighed and followed the rest of the party.

They found themselves in a large plaza, with men and women of all races, but most emphatically Asari, Volus, Salarians, and the occasional Turian. "Split up and look for clues," Jane commanded, and the team dispersed.

Alexander knew instantly where to go, and what to do. He leaned back against a wall and looked around, activating his unusual, White Omnitool, pressing a few buttons. The Insignia of The Assassins on the screen for a moment, before Alexander tapped it, causing it to send out a pulse on-screen as the Insignia danced. He lowered his Omnitool and waited. After a while, he sighed and walked off to try another lead. He was yanked by the arm into an alleyway by an unknown figure. All he knew was that the figure had a Hidden Blade.

Alexander reacted immediately, grabbing the man's wrist and twisting his arm to turn him away, before flipping him onto his chest. Alexander pressed the man's own arm against his back while holding a hidden blade to his neck. "Name, Rank, Chapter, and purpose for attacking an obvious superior, I want answers!" Alexander said, poking the man's neck lightly.

"Christ, I'll tell you! Desian Actius, Footpad of the Nos Astra branch of the Illium Chapter. The Rogue Brother is loose, I thought you were him, I'm sorry!" Desian said, and Alexander released the Turian Male. He stood up, dusted himself off, and bowed in the currently modern Assassin style, a polite, short, East Asian-human bow with both fists touching at the knuckles.

Alexander returned the bow. "Alexander Clarke, Assassin Rank 1 of the Citadel Chapter," he said, and Desian's eyes widened in surprise.

"You mean, the Alexander Clarke who has been traveling with Commander John Shepard?"

Alexander smiled and mouthed a confirmation, a bit surprised yet strangely pleased to hear that he had a bit of a fan-club going. Desian read this positively and knelt in reverence. "Are you here about The Rogue Brother?" Desian asked, to which Alexander tilted his head, unfamiliar with _that_ specific title. It eventually made sense however.

"Rogue Brother? Oh, yes, Thane Krios. We were hoping to recruit him for our mission against the Collectors."

Desian tossed his head back to laugh. "He abandoned the Brotherhood, Sir; I doubt he'll accompany you on any business pertaining to the Templars and Assassins."

"You'll tell us what the Illium Chapter has to say about The Rogue Brother, Mr. Actius," Alexander replied rather dryly. "I hate to pull rank, but this is a top-priority mission, which calls for me to currently work with the Commander Shepards. We need to know anything you can tell us regarding his whereabouts."

Desian sighed, "Yes sir. We last heard he was going after a diplomat, Nassana Dantius. Funny Coincidence: She's a Templar, or at least the Templars support her. She found out that her life was on the line and started becoming paranoid. I don't know what she's doing as of right _now, _however."

"Thank you, Desian," Alexander said, but before he left, he paused and turned back around. "You mentioned Christ?" he said, and Desian scratched his neck.

"Yes, I am a Christian Turian. We do celebrate religious freedom for all species, do we not?" Desian said, looking Alexander in the eyes. He simply smiled and nodded.

"Yes, of course. Though it is quite rare, as most Turians, statistically, prefer their own religion, and Asari philosophies," said Alexander, and Desian conceded, shrugging. Truth be told, Christianity appealed to him for it's more pure form: Love thy neighbor, and forgive those who trespass against you. It takes willpower to forgive and love your enemy, and this appealed to his sense of community service."You want to come with us? Help out with Thane?" Alex suggested, "I'll put in a good word for you with the Illium Chapter."

Desian pondered this for a moment, before chuckling. "Sure, I'll help you with The Rogue Brother, though I cannot help you any further, with the Collectors, and all. I would only slow you down, and I have my duties here."

Alexander agreed to the terms, and led Desian back to the Plaza.

Kairee was chatting with an Asari about an Information Broker who could, obviously, provide information. She went by the name "Liara T'Soni"…

Miranda was preoccupied with a group of Eclipse mercenaries, running diagnostics on their LOKI mechs. They told her that Nassana hired a band of Eclipse mercs to guard her life.

* * *

The three compiled their data and met back in the Central Plaza.

"Eh, where is Jane?" Alexander asked, looking around awkwardly.

"Hell if I know…" Miranda replies sarcastically. Kairee was busy looking up at the top of a building, and the others stared at her quizzically. She silently pointed to a lone figure, crouched on the corner of a building's roof, observing the area.

"Of bloody course…" Alexander muttered, face-palming.

"You go get Shepard, I'll stay back here and wait," Desian said, moving to a bench and sitting down.

The three of them walked over to the building and waved to Jane, who, once she had turned her attention to the trio, accidentally lost her footing and fell off the roof, barely catching a ledge about a story down. "I'm okay!" Jane announced, as she pulled herself up slightly, so that her eyes were peeking into a room, walled off with glass. Inside was an Asari in green and white clothing, talking to somebody's hologram.

"Have you ever faced an Asari Commando before? Few Humans have… I'll make it simple. Either you pay me, or I flay you alive… with my mind." She said in the most nerve-wracking, absolutely creepy, calm voice, speaking with a "kind" tone, and drawing out her words slowly like some kind of enlightened sage. She hung up and looked out her window, looking down to see the top half of Jane's face looking up at her. She shrieked and leapt a foot into the air, hitting her ankle against the desk behind her. Jane climbed up onto the ledge and pressed her body against the glass, trying to speak through it. "Liara, is that you?!" she asked, both thrilled to see her old friend again, and disturbed to see this new side of her.

Liara calmed down long enough to process that Commander Jane Shepard was currently outside her office window, pressed against the glass.

"Nyxeris hold my calls," she ordered, and another Asari at the doorway bowed politely.

"It's so good to see you!" Liara said, still using that calm, quiet tone.

"You're threatening to flay people alive, now?" Jane asked, rather monotonously, like an Elcor. She couldn't believe that her kindhearted, shy sister-figure had become so vicious in the span of two years.

"Oh that, that was just a customer, unhappy with the information he received. He'll pay, they always do." Liara said. Her facial expression failed to change. "Ever since I helped you stop Saren, people have wanted to be my friend, or not be my enemy. I've set up a respectable business as an information broker. It's paid the bills for the past two years. Now we meet again," Liara murmured, taking a seat and becoming silent, gesturing to the chair on the other side of her desk. Jane replied with a "one moment" gesture and leaped off of the building, making her way inside and up to Liara's office. She finally took her seat, and Liara continued.

"And you are gunning for the Collectors with Cerberus…" she finished, and Jane raised her hands in surrender. "That isn't exactly public knowledge," Jane said curiously.

"Neither is your brother being alive, Jane," Liara reminded her, "Information… is my business now… and if you need information on finding people, I'm happy to help."

Jane looked around casually. "Ok, I need information on finding a Liara T'Soni… who are you and what have you done to her?" Jane quipped, patting the armrests of her chair.

Liara's eyes narrowed to a squint that intimidated even Shepard, and she scooted back in her seat warily, having learned the lesson.

"I'm looking for Thane Krios." Jane finally stated, and Liara began to soften up.

"The Assassin… he arrived a few days ago. My sources tell me he may be targeting a corporate executive, Nassana Dantius. He contacted a woman named Seryna. Seryna has an office in the Cargo transfer levels. Perhaps she can tell you where Krios is." Liara elucidated, bowing her head as she finished.

"Thank you, Liara. That's all I needed to know." Jane replied. Just then, Miranda Lawson entered, followed by Alexander and Kairee.

"Great… Information Brokers, the Second and Third Tenet's nemesis," Alexander muttered under his breath, looking around at the files and datapad collection strewn about Liara's desk.

Jane raised an eyebrow at this, "Does she know that?" she whispers. Liara sends Nyxeris out of the room before proceeding.

"Most Information Brokers are made aware of your two warring factions. Both realize that our Brokering poses a significant threat to your confidentiality, and in turn entire Organization. We have no intention of revealing secrets. The notion of two shadow-guilds fighting for control of the galaxy's politics, economy, and domestic lives would spark mass hysteria, and for once those Conspiracy Theorists wouldn't look like complete idiots. Though, most of the time, both The Assassins and the Templars give Information Brokers "Silence Taxes" so that we remain neutral and impartial to the war, refusing information regarding one member of a faction to another, unless individual pay is greater than the monthly taxe of course." Liara clarified, and Jane stared at her, shocked and awed.

"I did _not_ actually know that you were with the Assassins, Jane. Though, Mr. Clarke, Miss Antar, I am aware of your alignment with The Brotherhood. I suppose you are after Krios because he's a Rogue Assassin?" Liara admitted.

"No, John Shepard expressed interest in his abilities and we came down to go get him," stated Kairee, lifting her hand.

"John… it's good to hear he's alive," Liara sighed, "I remember you two from a Vid that Joker uploaded. 'Amnesia: Darkness Falls'?"

Alexander grinned and rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Yeah, we played a little of that together… bit of a low-point in my professional career, but it _was_ fun."

Liara nodded and looked back down at her files, sifting through them.

"I should go," Alexander muttered after a minute of silence.

"God, what the fu… that's my line, Alex!" Jane said with irritation.

**Later that Evening… **  
The quartet hastily made their way to the cargo transfer offices, to locate Seryna, who was sitting in her cubicle, looking at her computer console.

"Hello, Seryna?" Jane asked, looking down at the Asari.

"Who wants to know?" Seryna responded, not looking up from her work.

"The name's Jane. Liara T'Soni said you might have information on Thane Krios," said Jane, brushing a lock of red hair out of her eyes.

Seryna looked up, got up out of her seat, and turned to a coworker. "Tana, cover for me," she said, leading Jane and company to the dock.

"Yeah, I know who Thane Krios is. I might have passed him some information, but I didn't hire him. What do you want to know?" asked the Asari.

"Maybe you could help me find him?" Jane stated, shrugging.

Seryna simply scoffed and said, "I can tell you, but you won't stop him. When he contacted me, I checked up on him. The man never gives up on a job. I ran security for Nassana Dantius, and then I heard she was having people killed to cover up her dirty secrets. She fired me when I confronted her. Her loss, I might have been good enough to stop Thane from taking her down."

"So where do I find Thane?" Jane inquired.

"The Dantius Towers, Penthouse Level of Tower One," Seryna replied, turning to face the cityscape, and then pointing. Jane and Alexander moved forwards, scoping out the view.

"There's a Second Tower, still under construction. If Thane is smart, he'll go in from there," announced Seryna, and Alexander perked an Eyebrow.

"Doesn't sound like she's going to roll over and let us walk right in," he said, kneeling and keeping his eyes on the tower. He felt something strange, but he couldn't place a finger on it. It was almost like he could make out little shapes from inside the towers, but he debunked them as reflections of sunlight in the glass windows.

"She's as smart as she is paranoid. No one's getting in or out of there without a fight. I can get you in, but you only have one shot. You better be ready."

Jane smirked and crossed her arms, "Let's go then," she said.

"Good, I'm tired of this crap," Seryna stated rather boldly, gesturing to the rest of the room. "We'll go tonight, as soon as the shift workers clear out of Tower Two."

Seryna left them be, but not without giving Jane the time of meeting on her Omnitool. Four hours were given.

"Spectacular! Tell John to bring everyone out of the Normandy for Shore Leave," Jane ordered, and Miranda saluted, calling the Commander on her Omnitool. She turned to Alexander, "Alex, there is something I need to tell you."

Alexander was still looking out at the Towers when he heard Miranda's voice. He turned to face her. "Yes, what is it?" he asked politely.

"We found something quite… interesting… in your DNA. The Illusive Man suspects that you are of First Civil…" Miranda attempted to say, before being distracted by a pull on her arm by Shepard.

"C'mon, Miranda, I want to check out the mall! I hear they have some pretty sweet hardsuits available!" Jane cried, pulling the Executive Officer along with her. Dantius followed suit, leaving Alexander and Kairee alone with each other.

Alexander looked at Kairee, and she looked back at him. "So… it's just you and me," he said, scratching his cheek awkwardly.

She smiled shyly back at him. "So, what do you want to do?" she asked sweetly.

"Not sure," Alexander said, "We have about four hours. Do you want to go check out the Art museums? They're close by, and I know how you are about foreign culture." he inquired, and Kairee nodded eagerly in approval.

"I heard that they recently completed the Human Art and Sculpture exhibit!" Kairee stated excitedly, to Alexander's confusion.

"What is it with you and Humans?" he questioned with a chuckle.

Kairee blushed, looking around for a brief moment. "I… I'm not really sure, actually. I find their culture rather intriguing I guess… the Human Spirit and adaptability baffles me in the best way possible." she sighed, crossing her arms behind her back.

"Your openness and respect for my people would be a couple reasons why I love you, but you know that you'd never have to change for me, right?" Alexander asked, taking hold of one of Kairee's hands. Her "cheeks" were a bright blue as she nodded slowly, before walking off with Alexander.

**Later that Night **  
John Shepard and Jane Shepard reunited after the four allotted hours were almost up.

"It's almost time to go get Thane," Jane announced, and John grinned in anticipation.

"Do you mind if I tag along?" John asked, and Jane shrugged, opening her Omnitool to contact the team.

"I'm bringing Alex, Kairee, and Miranda again," Jane said, to coordinate with John.

"She can't make it. When we docked for shore leave, a couple of Cerberus techies requested her presence. They were bringing in this… chair. It was Black, Orange, and White: Cerberus' colors. They had a crap-ton of wires and gadgets with them on hand as well. So I think she'll be busy for some time," explained John.

"Fine, Alex, and Kairee… you… you know what? Perhaps we should bring Kaidan or Ashley along for once. I need to know that they trust us, and for them to know that we can trust them," Jane said, and John nodded before activating his Omnitool.

"Kaiden, Ash?" John requested over the Normandy's channel.

"Yes, John?" Kaidan replied, he was in the Nos Astra mall, enjoying a small meal at a Café with Ashley.

"How would you like to join us for a recruitment opportunity?" John inquired, and a gulping noise was heard over the Comms.

Kaiden had finished the rest of his coffee in a hurry, left the payment, grabbed Ashley's arm, and ran off with her. "We'll be right there!" Kaidan chimed.

John snickered, and closed communications. "Well then, we have our Team."

"I sent a message to Alex and Kairee to rendezvous here," Jane muttered, lowering her own Omnitool.

**Nos Astra Multicultural Art Museum and Theatre **  
Alexander Clarke and Kairee Antar were taking a stroll in the Sculpture Garden, an indoor "Greenhouse" of sorts, with multiple kinds of plant life from assorted planets. Among the flowers and trees stood magnificent statues, sculpted by famed artists across the histories of all the Galactic races.

Alexander was admiring a replica of the Tian-Tian Buddha sitting amongst a bed of Earth-Native lotus flowers. Kairee walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Who is that?" she asked inquisitively.

"This is a sculpture of the Buddha," Alexander replied, turning his head to face Kairee. Her mandibles twitched in confusion before she asked another question.

"And who is the 'Boo Duh'?" Kairee said as her translator glitched. It wasn't set to translate Indian Subcontinent dialects. Alexander chuckled at this technical mishap and put an arm around her waist as he explained.

"He was a man named Siddhartha Gautama. He was born on Earth, millenia ago. He was raised a prince, and his father spoiled him like no one else. I believe it was some kind of prophecy, that if he witnessed or experienced suffering, he would become a great ascetic, rather than a great king," Alexander explained, and Kairee listened intently. "He failed. Siddhartha eventually found out about mortality, illness, and famine. He "resigned"… studied with Hindi ascetics for a while, but failed to find the answers he sought. They say he attained enlightenment under a Bo... fig, Tree in India. The religion of Buddhism sprung from his teachings. Life was full of suffering that came from desire. End Desire? End suffering," Alexander continued. Kairee paused and thought about what was said.

"I should look into Human religion," she muttered.

"That Desian Actius guy was Christian for whatever reason, so I guess it must be pretty interesting," Alexander reminded her, and she nodded.

"I'm not saying I'll convert, but it is interesting nonetheless... how do you know so much?" Kairee replied, leading Alexander around the Garden once more.

As they walked, Alexander found his answer, "I study this sort of thing. I wish to apply to be a Master Assassin when this is all over, so I figured I should be a mentally and philosophically open person if I am to be a leader. Plus, a concept of things different from me will be useful for communicating effectively in the future," he explained.

In the center of a small pond, was a replica French sculpture originally crafted by a "Rodin".

"This one, I'm not familiar with," Alexander stated as he studied the statue closely. The two figures in the sculpture were in each other's embrace, nude, as was common for the time of its creation. The man was holding a book in one hand, holding the woman by the thigh with the other. A closer look revealed that the two figures were about to kiss, but their lips did not touch, suggesting that they were interrupted somehow.

"What's it called?" Kairee asked, looking into Alexander's eyes.

Alexander felt something odd in his mind, somehow knowing what the sculpture was called. He brushed the feeling aside, debunking it as simple recall. Though he could have sworn he saw an age-worn engraving become highlighted by something he couldn't explain. It only lasted a second however, which was why he was unsure of what it actually _was, _or if he actually saw it to begin with.

"The Kiss," he murmured. A question came to mind. "Do Turians kiss?" he inquired, and Kairee blushed profusely at the thought of the question, having a concept of the gesture.

"Well, we don't really have 'lips' like you humans. You would call it a 'flexible 'beak',' really, but the two are similar. I guess we 'kiss by interlocking plates..." Kairee said, rubbing her shoulder nervously, knowing exactly where this was going.

"That works for me…" Alexander whispered, pulling Kairee closer to him, having had _the_ _cheesiest_ idea in the galaxy. She placed her arm around his neck, and he slipped a hand to her hips, thus replicating the positions of the sculpture before them. Alexander's lips were only mere centimeters away from Kairee's mouth as they closed their eyes.

And in a moment of cliched "terrible timing", an incessant pinging noise was heard from Alexander's Omnitool, and with a sigh the two separated. Alexander opened his white Omnitool and read Shepard's message. Time was up, and they were back on the clock.

Kairee shifted uncomfortably, staring shyly at Alexander, who only blushed and smiled back. "Yeah... sorry about that, I wasn't sure what I was thinking," he apologized. The two took each other's hand and left the museum together.

**Dantius Towers, Illium **  
Seryna was driving the Skycar that would take the Shepards and company to the Towers. She had to take Jane, Alex, and Kairee first, as nobody else could fit into the Skycar.

"The towers are heavily guarded and you'll find more resistance closer to the penthouse." Seryna declared quickly, "So, this Assassin… you planning to stop him?" she asked.

Jane looked over at Seryna, "I'm just here to make sure he survives."

Seryna nodded and began speeding the Skycar around traffic, up, down, left, and right as they flew through the Megalopolis that is Nos Astra.

Eventually the Towers came into view. "There they are, the Dantius Towers. You'll have to get up the second tower and cross the bridge to the penthouse," Seryna explained, "Her mercs will fight you every step, but it's your best chance."

"Alright, let's do this," proclaimed Jane, who had her N7 Hurricanes ready for action.

Alexander placed his hand on Kairee's and smiled warmly at her.

"Alright, hold on," Seryna warned, flying the Skycar down to the lot in front of the second Tower.

"Don't linger too long; they'll be here to greet you soon enough," Seryna said as Jane and the others left the Skycar. Jane looked up at the towers with a sense of awe.

"Good luck, Shepard," Seryna added, sitting back and closing the doors. She would return shortly with the others, dropping them off at the same spot.

The seven turned to face the glass doors, as a group of Salarian workers were retreating from a group of LOKI and FENRIS mechs, only to be shot down. Enraged, Alexander charged forwards, using biotics to blast his way through the doors, colliding with the oncoming FENRIS mechs. Behind him, two shots rang out that took the heads off of the LOKI mechs. John and Jane fired their pistols and ended the mechs.

Alexander curiously explored a pathway that led to a door, and in front of this door was a wounded Salarian.

In a raspy, desperate tone, the Salarian managed to communicate weakly. "Help…" he said.

The others found him and watched in horror. "He managed to escape with his life," Kairee said, kneeling before him.

"I can't feel my legs, my chest is killing me," the Salarian worker groaned.

"Who did this to you? And why?" John asked worriedly.

"We're just Night Workers! Nassana… sent them after us… She sent the mechs to round us up, but we didn't hear… they just started shooting!" the Salarian cried.

"They just attacked you?" Alexander replied.

"Yes! We were… too slow, it was Horrible. Everyone…screaming!" said the wounded man, "The mercs said there was no time… Nassana wanted us out of the way… immediately!" he added, before he began coughing up green, Salarian blood. "Then… the dogs!" he cried, choking and sputtering.

"John, he's not going to make it if we don't do something!" Kaidan Alenko said firmly. Shepard activated his Omnitool and injected a dose of Medigel into the Salarian.

"Here, that should ease the pain, and keep you alive until help arrives," John said.

"Thank you. That helps, a lot…" The Salarian said.

"Take your time," added John, as the Salarian struggled to get to his feet.

"I… think I'm… better," he said, "Find the other workers, Help them."

"I need to get up to the Penthouse, any suggestions?" John asked.

"Take the service elevator to the upper floors. The bridge between the towers isn't finished, but if you're careful… Watch out for the mercs. They are everywhere."

John thanks the Salarian for his help he returns the gratitude, limping off. Ashley Williams opened the door and walked inside, Assault Rifle at the ready.

A patrol of Mercenaries found her and began shooting. Kairee ran straight into the fray, leaping on top of the leading Merc before he could signal that people were in the building. The team shot down all cameras in the room, and Kairee executed the mercenary with a thrust of her hidden blade. "Tick Tock… we're on the clock," John said, stepping over a FENRIS mech and peering down a hallway. More mercs were in the way.

"Ashley, Kaidan, stand back. Watch how we do it in the Brotherhood…" Alexander says.

"The Brotherhood?" asks Kaiden and Ashley in unison.

"I'll fill you in later!" Alexander said in a hushed voice, slowly sneaking into the hallways with Jane and Kairee. John, Ashley, and Kaidan move back and watch from afar as Jane runs up the wall, using support from loose construction equipment and materials to cling to the walls and ceiling, crawling above two mercenaries, who were standing and talking to their inferiors. Jane lets go on the ceiling, flips over, and impales one in the head with her hidden blade, kicking the other one in the stomach and pushing him to the ground as he doubled over, killing him with the blade. The other two mercs go to react, but are pulled into columns by Kairee and Alexander, who cleanly snap their necks, mercifully killing them instantly.

Clearing out the rest of the room without alerting the mercenaries, Alexander shoots the cameras with his M11 Suppressor pistol to spite any mercs that had witnessed the massacre from afar. Ashley watched on in disbelief at how easily handled this all was. "How…?" Ashley began to ask before John raised his hand to silence her. Alexander put a hand to his mouth and made a quiet, but still audible, bird noise.

John leapt over cover and looked around the room, Assault Rifle at the ready. "You have your hidden blade, John?" Kairee asked, pointing to her wrist. John put his first two fingers to his wrist where his pulse would be to confirm that he possessed the Prototype hidden blade.

John ran ahead with Jane, who had instructed him on the fine art of staying quiet. Jane eliminated multiple mercenaries. John rolled over cover and pinned an Eclipse merc to the ground with his hidden blade, crushing his hardsuit and bones from the impact of his biotic strike. It had caused considerable noise, regrettably, and a crowd of LOKI mechs emerged from the other rooms, accompanied by their engineers. They've been discovered.

Ashley threw a grenade at one team of LOKIs to prevent them from harming John, and Jane and Alexander opened fire at the engineers, giving them a good scare, before John cut them down with his blade. The sound of the Grenade alerted the mercenaries. Stealth was no longer as much of an option. However, this room was clear for now. Jane heard some muffled shouts from behind a door, panicked, desperate cries rather than hostile roars. Hacking through the door revealed a trio of Salarian workers.

"Please, don't kill us! We'll go we'll go!" cried one Salarian in yellow. The one to his immediate right tapped his shoulder and gestured to them.

"Hey, they aren't Eclipse! You're here to help us… right?" he said.

"It's one reason we're here. Come on out, it's safe enough," Jane said, lowering her SMG.

"Thank you, we are in your debt," The Salarian in yellow declared, bowing.

"Maybe you can help us," John interjected, looking the Salarian in the eyes, "I'm looking for someone. Not a Merc – he's on his own."

"Well, whoever sealed us in here…?" The Salarian in yellow began, and the sentence was finished by the Salarian in blue.

"When he found us, I thought we were dead, but he just closed the door and locked us in."

"So he just locked you in, away from Merc hands? Sounds like The Rogue Brother was simply trying to protect them, like any Assassin should," Desian Actius, who had been a silent observer until now, said to Alexander.

"A-Assassin…?" the Salarian in Yellow asked.

"Here for Nassana, I bet. She's got it coming," the other Salarian said, "You treat people like this, and it always comes back to bite you in the ass."

"I need to get to Nassana's Penthouse. What is the quickest way?" John asked.

"Well, the Cargo Elevator is the only way up, right now," The one in Blue stated.

The one in Yellow raised his hand, to deliver a warning. "They're still working up top. Watch your step; some of the walls aren't in, and it's a long way down!"

"Thank you for your help," Kaidan Alenko said, giving a half-salute.

"You should head to the lower levels, we cleared them out for you," Desian suggested, and the Salarians left for the downstairs.

"Cargo Elevator… let's do it!" Ashley said, lifting her weapon once more and heading towards the intended target.

"We'll be pretty exposed once that thing comes down; we need to get to cover if anyone is on that elevator," Desian said, moving back. John Shepard inched closer to the elevator doors, Shotgun in hand.

"Shepard, get back!" Alexander cried.

It was no use. "Mezzanine… Have a pleasant stay!" A kindly voice said over the speakers as the elevator arrived. Inside was a Krogan, accompanied by two engineers. The Krogan immediately fired a rocket out at Shepard, but missed due to the shock of seeing him right in front of the door with a loaded shotgun. John angrily jumped in and tackled the Krogan to the wall, electrocuting him with his hidden blade, which found resistance entering his body due to the armor and tough skin. The Krogan shook wildly before slumping down. The Engineers looked at Shepard with true fear.

"Anyone else?" asked John casually, with an apathetic shrug. The Engineers dropped their shotguns and ran away screaming about how the job wasn't worth it.

The team stepped into the elevator, and John hit the button with his elbow.

The Elevator rushed upwards at rapid pace.

Arriving at their destination, the team discovered a lone Eclipse Mercenary talking over his Comms. John Shepard led the team up to him, and each of them removed their best weapons. "Turn around. Slowly," John commanded, his Cerberus Harrier at the back of his head, Ashley and Kaidan's Avengers, Jane's N7 Hurricane, and Alexander and Kairee raised their wrists and activated their hidden blades. Desian kept watch.

The Mercenary turned his upper body around to get a face full of gun. "Damn It," he swore.

"Have you seen the Assassin?" John asked casually, putting his gun down.

"Why are you looking for him? You are one of Nassana's mercs… who are you?" The Eclipse Trooper asked.

"Answer my questions and I'll let you go," John said persuasively.

"Look, pal, even if I knew where he was, I wouldn't tell you," The Trooper snickered, prompting Desian to step up.

"Not the answer I was looking for," John uttered, moving his face towards his in an intimidating fashion.

"I've got nothing more to say to you. If you shoot me, my team's right there. They'll be all over you," The trooper said defiantly, crossing his arms.

"Is a little information worth dying over? Is Nassana?" whispered John.

"No… I suppose not… OK look, last I heard, the Assassin was down on the mezzanine, but the teams on the bridge think they might've spotted him. Nobody knows for sure," The Eclipse trooper stammered fearfully.

"Get out of here," Desian ordered, holding his blade to the Trooper's neck.

"I'm going!" he replied, holding his hands up in surrender.

"He owes you one. Had you not said what you said, I'd have gladly killed him," Desian admits, sheathing his hidden blade.

Alexander looked around the room, seeming without aim. "What are you searching for?" John asked, tapping his shoulder.

"I think… I see something… hear something… in the ducts…" Alexander murmured before sprinting off towards a wall, flipping backwards and snagging a loose wire with his feet, using his strength and agility to swing to a vent, punching through and climbing into the ducts. The other six just stared at this reckless course of action, before moving forwards without him as he shuffled around through the air ducts.

Only a small group of Eclipse Mercenaries remained in the storage room, making this perfect for stealth. Desian drew his pistol and lay down on the floor, crawling silently across the floor to his target. Sweeping her with his gun, the female Batarian fell backwards onto Desian, who had prepared his hidden blade for collision. She fell onto the sharp edge and was silenced instantly. Desian shoved her body off of him and stood up to face a LOKI mech's pistol. Its head flew away from its torso as a shot rang out. Desian winced, thinking that it was the LOKI's bullet. Instead, Kairee had pulled the trigger on her pistol, saving Desian's life.

"That is why you are a Footpad," Kairee quipped dryly. Desian sighed and bowed before his superior.

The team discovered three more Salarians, one of which fainted, and threatened Nassana when she attempted to get a report from the Eclipse mercs that were assassinated. Then they kept moving. Up onto a balcony, which led to the Bridge, there was a squad of Mercenaries led by a highly skilled Commando.

"I got this one!" Ashley cried out, running toward the commando with her assault rifle, unleashing a hail of gunfire and rage upon the Asari, shredding her barriers and armor before ripping her apart from the practically point-blank range and sheer force of the attack. Ashley lunged onto her, stepping onto her neck, firing until her gun overheated. Kaidan used his biotics to hurl another Vanguard over the railing, cart-wheeling her into the Skycar traffic far below.

Kairee, Desian, and the Shepards ran ahead onto the bridge, the wind making it difficult to keep a footing. Another Asari Commando awaited them at the end of the bridge, packing a Machine Gun, with a turret besides her. Jane Shepard rushed across to greet her target. Activating her Tech Armor, she withstood most of the Turret's spray-fire, but her shields were compromised by the Machine Gun. She tripped over, knocking the Commando to the ground. As the Turret warmed up for another attempt, Jane rolled out of the way just in time for the Turret to target the Commando.

Jane picked herself up and walked away as the Turret fired.

Hacking the Turret, Kairee managed to get it to shut off completely, spilling it's thermal clips on the ground.

"Gruesome…" Kaidan, who had knelt down to examine the bloody mess of a Commando, murmured.

"Well, it's about to be all over," Jane said, cracking her knuckles and hacking the door.

John Shepard was the first to enter, partially as a joke, partially as a psychological weapon.

"Shepard? But… you're dead!" Nassana Dantius exclaimed as she and her mercenaries turned to face him, weapons ready.

"I got better," John smirked.

"And now you're here to kill me…" Nassana declared, and her mercenaries exchanged thermal clips.

John's squad raised their weapons in retaliation, but John remained stalwart, refusing to flinch or pick up a gun. "You really are paranoid, aren't you?" John asked with a laugh.

"Don't patronize me, Shepard…" Nassana said with a wave of the hand.

"Charming as Ever…" John replied jokingly.

"I'm sure you find this all very ironic… First, you take care of my sister, and now you're here for me," she said, reminding John of an event two years earlier, "Well, you made it this far… now what?"

"You really think I'm here to kill you?" John questioned, and Jane started chuckling.

"Do you have another reason for destroying my tower? Decimating my security?"

"I'm just looking for someone," John replied.

"You expect me to believe that?!" Nassana cried, "Is it credits? Is that what you want? Just tell me your price. We can make this problem go away."

John crossed his arms with a sarcastic sneer. "Make me an offer," he said.

"Double what you're getting, and I'll pay double again if you tell me who hired you."

An Asari Commando shifts uncomfortably. "WHAT?" Nassana barks.

"I heard something…" the Commando replies.

"Damn it! Check the other entrances! And you! Stay put!" Nassana shouts.

Meanwhile, something emerges from the ceiling as a figure, a male Drell with green scales and a red neck, silently drops from a vent. He puts his hand around a Mercenaries mouth, and twists his head around, breaking his neck. He turns around and punches the other one in the throat.

"When I am finished dealing with this nuisance, you and I are going to… Who…?" Nassana rambled, readying her own pistol As the Drell whipped out a pistol at near-lightning speeds, shooting the Commando in the forehead without even aiming down the sights, before whirling around like a dancer and grabbing Nassana's gun arm with a free hand, ramming the barrel of his gun in Nassana's gut. He silently fires the weapon into her intestines and lays her down on the table, holding the back of her head gently. He folded her hands across her chest neatly and respectfully, praying in his mind for her.

"Impressive, I must say…" Kairee murmurs.

"I was hoping to talk to you," John Shepard said.

"I apologize, but prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken," The Drell said in a raspy voice that resembled a croak.

"Do you really think she deserves it?" John asks.

"Not for her. For me," the Drell replied, "The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone. Take you, for instance. All this destruction… chaos," he continues, walking around the table.

"I was curious to see how far you'd go to find me, well… here I am."

"How did you know I was coming at all?" John questioned with mild irritation.

"I didn't, not until you marched through the front door and started shooting," the Drell answered with a very light chuckle, "Nassana had become paranoid. You saw the strength of her guard force. She believed one of her sisters would kill her."

"You… were a valuable distraction."

"You used me… so you could kill her!" John boomed angrily, Kairee put a hand on his shoulder.

"He's a rogue, Shepard," she said, and John sighed.

"I needed a diversion; you needed to speak with me," spoke the Drell, stoically; "You certainly fulfilled your end of the bargain. What would you like to discuss?" he asked.

"Someone's been abducting entire human Colonies. We're going to stop them. We already know the culprits – a race called The Collectors," John explained.

"I've heard of them. Attacking the Collectors would require going through the Omega 4 relay. No ship has ever returned from doing so," the Drell cautioned.

Kaidan chuckled, "So like some kind of Galactic Bermuda Triangle." He said, and Jane nodded.

"They told me it was impossible to get to Ilos too."

The Drell pondered John's response for a moment. "A fair point... You've built a fair career on performing the impossible. This was to be my last job…"

Everyone stopped and considered these words before a bombshell was dropped.

"I'm dying." He announced, "Low survival odds don't concern me. The abduction of your colonists does."

"I hadn't heard that, is there anything I can do?" John said, sympathetically.

"Giving me this opportunity is enough," the Drell replied, "The universe is a dark place. I'm trying to make it brighter before I die. Many innocents died today. I wasn't fast enough, and they suffered. I must atone for that," the Drell continued, the anguish was palpable, even if his voice was unreadable, and he wore a Poker Face quite well. He extended his hand and John shook it. "I will work for you, Shepard. No Charge." He said.

Suddenly, however, another vent was removed as Alexander Clarke slipped into the room just as silently as Thane (the Drell) did. His hunch was right apparently. Slowly he walked up behind Thane, attempting to knock him unconscious.

Thane read the body language of Kaidan Alenko, whose eyes wandered for a split second to Alexander. He whirled around and jabbed Alex in the side, causing him to curse in pain. Alexander assumed a combat stance and began sending a flurry of punches and kicks in Thane's direction, which he nonchalantly parried with his wrists. Alexander sent another fist his way, and Thane parried it, but this time, he moved his arm in a circle, gripped the elbow at the less-protected joint of his armor, and pinched the funny bone, forcing Alexander to a kneel as he cried out in pain. Thane had not moved any other part of his body until now, kneeing Alex in the nose, knocking him back. Kairee reacted instantly and tried to pull him away, only to be jabbed in the throat with Thane's index and middle finger, Praying Mantis style. He added a slash of the elbow to that, hitting her in the nose, causing dark, blue, blood to drip down.

Seeing this, Alexander roared in anger and stood up, quick as a flash. He and Thane began punching each other in synchronization, beating at each other's knuckles as they attempted to land a blow. The others had stood back, not wanting to trigger either one's combative reflexes. They both twirled, attempting to roundhouse kick each other, and they locked legs at the joint. They spun again, causing them to lift off the ground, tripping. They both regained balance, and barrel rolled midair, landing on the floor gracefully, before resuming striking each other in the chest, shoulders, and upper legs.

"Alexander, Thane!" Kairee barked, covering her nose to stop the bleeding.

Alexander gripped Thane's wrist in a rage and began pressing tightly against his veins, threatening to crush his arm. Thane knelt down in pain, but grabbed his pistol and aimed it in Kairee's direction.

"You would not sacrifice your lover for a petty grudge," he stated, rather matter-of-factly.

Alexander snarled and released his arm. Thane dropped the gun, dusted himself off, and bowed before Alexander.

"It has been a while since I have fought an opponent of skill such as yours. It is an honor to meet you, Alexander Clarke," Thane complimented.

Alexander exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose. "My apologies for the assault, Thane, but, uh, apologize for punching my girlfriend," he muttered. Thane turned to Kairee and bowed politely. She seemed to accept the symbolism and backed off, nodding in acceptance.

"I had not known that the Brotherhood would become involved," Thane mentioned, and Alexander nodded. "Well, we have, Mr. Krios."

"May I ask just why you left the Brotherhood?" John asked casually, shrugging.

"I had originally joined in my younger years, acquiring further training than what I had gained under the guidance of the Hanar. For a while I served the Assassins, I understood and lived by the Creed. Then…" Thane said, pausing for a moment to collect his thoughts, "I realized that I should not be involved in a petty squabble between two childish, violent, angry factions, but I should lend my blade to taking care of the truly wicked on both sides. It just happens that a lot of my targets are Templar puppets."

Alexander crossed his arms. "If your targets are Templars, then you should come back. Things are different since we were novices. A new Mentor is in place, and with the death of the original Council – thank you Shepard – we've installed politicians aligned with the Assassins, and we've been advising them since. Templars are not a massive issue anymore. We focus on the more important task of stopping the Reapers," Alexander explained, and Thane listened respectfully.

"Very well, my friend… If I am to work with Assassins while I fight the Collectors, I will be happy to lend my assistance to them in my final years," Thane declared, that stoic tone never leaving once.

**Assassin Mission Report: Mission Success  
\- Resources Obtained: Medigel, Credits  
\- Templar Executive Nassana Dantius Assassinated  
\- The Rogue Brother, Thane Krios, has been recruited  
\- Desian Actius, Male Turian, Footpad of the Illium Chapter assisted in the mission. I highly recommend this young man for a promotion. Keep him safe, I sense great potential in him.  
\- Eclipse Mercenaries killed.**

Cerberus Mission Report: Minor Mission Success. Pyrrhic Victory  
\- Medigel and Credits recovered  
\- Nassana Dantius murdered. The Asari Templars have taken a hit.  
\- Thane Krios, ex-Brotherhood Assassin recruited  
\- Illium Assassins involved in conflict, likely know of our collaboration. Security likely compromised in this sector.  
\- Animus 5.7 Delivered Successfully.

**The Normandy SR2, 2185 **  
Back aboard the Normandy, Thane enters the Briefing Room, where Jacob Taylor, John Shepard, and Alexander Clarke stood.

"I've heard Impressive stories, Krios. Sounds like you'll be an asset to the team. That is, if you're comfortable having an _assassin_ watch your back…" Jacob opened, looking at Shepard and finishing the sentence on a sarcastic note, scowling.

"Hey, buddy, Templar, yeah, you? Shut up." Alexander says with a smile.

"I've accepted a contract. My arm is Shepard's," Thane clarified.

"Uh-huh. Don't know about you, but I'm loyal to more than my next paycheck," Jacob quipped.

"We don't fight for money; in fact we only get paid by people who REALLY want to pay us. Sometimes we dig through crates for extra credits," Alexander added to scold Jacob.

"Isn't that Shepard's thing?" Jacob replied.

"Obviously, he is loyal to more than money too. He's doing this mission gratis. What's your concern?" John asked with a sly smirk of victory on his face.

"I don't like mercenaries. An assassin is just a precise mercenary," Jacob replied.

"Laa Shay'a Waqi'un Moutlaq Bale Kouloun Moumkine," Alexander stated, quickly, like he was fluent in the language.

"Nothing is true, everything is permitted," Thane translated, "And, an Assassin is a weapon. A weapon doesn't choose to kill. The one who wields it does."

"Where shall I put my things? I'd prefer someplace dry, if anything is available," Thane requested, his arms folded behind his back.

EDI appeared in the center of the Table. "The Area near the life support plant on the crew deck tends to be slightly more arid than the rest of the ship, and I can adjust the climate of your personal crew-cabin accordingly," she informed Thane.

Thane smirked and nodded, "Ah, an AI? My thanks…" he said with a polite bow.

"He seems quite civil…" EDI said, before disappearing.

"We need all the help we can get. He's not what I expected in an assassin. He may surprise you," John said to Jacob.

"Yeah, and he may not," Jacob replied in displeasure.

"Look, you damn Templar, You need to get over yourself, because we're here to stay," Alexander snarled.

Jacob said nothing and walked away.

**Later…**

Alexander found himself being called to Miranda's office later in the night as he was preparing for bed.

"Alexander, I've been trying to say something for some time, now," Miranda began, looking him in the eyes.

"Yes, you tried to tell me something on Illium. What was it?" Alexander asked.

"The Illusive Man knows about the Assassins here, and he knows about you. He asked that we scan your DNA again to check for anything unusual… here's what we found," Miranda said, sliding a datapad to Alexander, who took it in hand and looked it over, his eyes widening at the results.

"First Civilization… Alexander, you have First Civilization in your blood. Fortunately, you also have Ancestors who would die for the Assassins. During shore leave today, Cerberus gave us a little gift," Miranda explained. She stood up and showed Alexander to a door in the back of her quarters. Using the pass code, the door slid open, revealing a small, circular room with computers along the walls. Oddest of all, in the very center of the room, was a chair. And this chair was cushioned with orange pads. The metal was colored black, and the armrests were padded with white cushions. Wires connected this chair to the computers. Dr. Mordin Solus was reviewing a few files and operation guides on how Genetic Memory works. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Ah, Miss Lawson, Mr. Clarke!" said Mordin, putting down the guidebooks.

"Arrival Time preferable," Mordin said, standing up, "Excellent, have you briefed Mr. Clarke?" he asked Miranda, who shook her head.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Alexander said, backing away slowly, "The Illusive Man wants to dig through my memories like a junk drawer? Hell no!" he said.

"False. Memories belonging to Ancestors, not your own," Mordin clarified, "Violations of private thoughts are beneath The Illusive Man. Violation of dead men's thoughts… not as immoral."

Alexander calmed down long enough to get his next question ready. "Is the 'Chair' safe?" he asked warily, "I've heard the stories… Clay Kaczmarek went insane, killed himself and painted the walls in his own blood. Desmond Miles had night terrors, screamed in his sleep. The Bleeding Effect…" Alexander murmured.

"Most issues have been resolved, Alexander. We cannot prevent The Bleeding Effect, but we can soften the blow it deals to your psychological profile," Miranda explained, gesturing with her hands to the Animus and the computers.

"What are you probing my grandparents' memories for anyways?" Alexander asked.

"We haven't had any contact with First Civilization for 100 years, Alexander, we know little about them. Now that humanity is on the Galactic scale, we want to find out about them and their contemporaries. You're related to them, so you are our best bet," Miranda explicated.

Alexander bit his lip in contemplation…

"When do I begin?"

* * *

**JULY 14th EDITS:**

**Refined the entirety of the chapter. Specific focus was put on the Museum scene. I figured I owed you guys a fix for that bit. Also made minor edits to sentences and paragraphs during and after the mission.**

**And so the Revisionist spree continues.**


	6. Ashley: Ring Out the False

**Normandy SR2, 2185**  
"Commander, Ashley wanted you to see meet her in the Port Observation Deck. Something's got her on Edge, but she wouldn't mention what it was," Kelly Chambers called out as John approached the Galaxy Map.

"Thanks, Kelly, I'll get right on that," John replied, releasing the railing and stepping down from the Galaxy Map, walking forwards to the Elevator. Pressing a button, the doors closed as the elevator lowered to the Crew Deck. Outside the door were Jacob and Miranda. Normally, Jacob wasn't on the Crew Deck, but he had been helping Miranda with some Animus equipment. They were just about to head upstairs for more supplies.

"Hey, Commander," Jacob smiled, slapping his hand against John's, moving his hand back to backhand the back of John's hand, and then the other way, clasping them together. John and Jacob pulled each other forward for a one-armed brother-hug. "I want to thank you again for helping me with my father. Good to know he'll have plenty of time to reflect on all the crazy **** he did, in an Alliance prison!" Jacob chuckled. He and Shepard had recently gone down to a Garden World to investigate a distress signal sent by the MSV Hugo Gernsback. His Father had manipulated his crew for 10 years, stealing the rations for his officers and himself, and allowing the lesser crew to eat the local flora, which caused mental degeneration. A Colony of literal Retards and some madman living out a childhood fantasy as Robinson Crusoe in Space did NOT make a good combination. Of course Shepard had to do something!

"And I want to thank you for helping me relocate Oriana…" Miranda chimed in, shaking John's now free hand. "She's safe now, and away from our crazy father…"  
Miranda was bred genetically from her father's DNA, and tweaked. Her father had intended to make her truly perfect, mentally and physically, giving her the best of educations that his vast amount of money could buy. Though, he didn't want a family… he wanted a Dynasty. Eventually, Miranda's genetic "twin" sister, Oriana, was created as a means of replacing the now expendable Miranda. Not wanting her to suffer the same, Miranda kidnapped the infant Oriana and kept her hidden from their father for years until he finally got a lead. After dealing with Eclipse mercenaries who had been misled, Miranda finally relocated Oriana and her family to a safe location, at the cost of an old friend, Nikket.

"I care deeply about the lives of my crew. It would be foolish of me to have not helped you!" John replied, saluting his two Cerberus operatives. They returned the gesture and boarded the Elevator. Turning right, Shepard went down the hallway to the Port Observation Deck.

(Facing the Elevator, Port=Left, Starboard=Right. Facing away from the Elevator, Port=Right, Starboard=Left.)

"John, can we talk for a moment?" Ashley requested as she swallowed a drink. She had been sitting patiently at the bar waiting for one of the Shepards to take the call.

"Sure, what's on your mind?" John replied as he took a seat besides Ashley. She was visibly angered by something, but she had never mentioned any discontent besides her being on a Cerberus Ship. Thankfully, Kaidan coaxed her into ignoring Cerberus for the time being.

"Jack shared some of those files, the ones that you let her see on Cerberus?" Ashley began, pouring another drink into her glass, "I came across a _very_ interesting Dossier."

John had a confused look about his face as an awkward silence followed. Breaking the silence, he said, "What was in the Dossier?"

Ashley smirked, bringing her drink to her lips. "A year ago, when you were still dead, I met somebody in the Alliance. A young man named Bruce McCarthy. He was new, right? So I showed him the ropes, and he climbed through the ranks in no time flat. He abandoned the Alliance rather violently, and I was there. But I just read that he ditched Cerberus some time before you came back."

"Was he involved in the Lazarus Project?"

"Of course, and it gets better. Miranda informed me that, after attempting to sabotage the Lazarus Project, he abandoned the base with some stolen tech, and information regarding you and your cybernetics," Ashley added with a slight chuckle.

"Odd, what would he need with those?" John pondered aloud.

EDI spoke over the Intercom at that point. "If I may interject, any amount of information regarding the types of Cybernetics within you right now could give way to an innumerable amount of complications during the mission. Someone can find your weaknesses and exploit them, selling them to the highest bidder. That is the most likely outcome. It is least likely that Bruce is trying to acquire parts for his collection."

Awkward silence once more fills the room…

"That was a joke."

Ashley sighs in frustration. "I think she's trying to be Human. We don't need another Geth Repeat, hell I think they all could have learned something if they watched Terminator beforehand."

"Relax, Ash. EDI's just trying to be friendly. I encourage this side of her. It actually keeps her from devaluing our lives, trust me!" John Shepard teased, nudging her shoulder.

"Well, with a little help, I managed to track our trickster to Outer Council Space. Somewhere in the Ialessa System, but my money is on Sanves. I guess he was trying to hide in the population, but what the idiot forgot was that of the 975 Million people on Sanves, 975 Million are Asari. The Human male is going to stick out like a sore thumb amongst all of those female Asari," Ashley elucidated as she finished her last drink. "If you want to gain my full trust and cooperation, prove to me you have no qualms with killing Alliance traitors!"

"Alright, let's see what we can do," John said, patting Ashley's shoulder. He lifted his head to face the ceiling, "Joker? Set a course for Sanves."

"Sanves?" the Pilot asked, "Right away Commander!"

As the ship flew, a group of people was gathering in the Starboard Observation deck.

"Sanves, right? That Asari world… I'm definitely going to enjoy some Shore Leave there!" Kenneth commented rather tactlessly, earning stern glares from Eleria, Samara, and Gabby.

Kasumi Goto smiled wide underneath her hood. "I heard that there was this massive Diamond. 2,105 carats!" she said, leaning back on the couch.

"2,105 Carats… yeah, I'll believe that when I see it," Crewman Hawthorne sniggered.

"Fun Fact: That sucker was taken on a Galactic Tour to be blessed by a bunch of religious leaders," Alexander Clarke interjected.

"Probably just Turians and Asari, maybe some Hanar," Kaidan responded, crossing his arms.

"Well, actually, Roman Catholic Pope Leo XIV blessed it back in August. I heard that they got the Dalai Lama to do the same, along with Muslim and Jewish leaders. Then it made a stop in India and some Brahmins paraded it in Varanasi," Alexander added, to Kaidan's dismay.

Half of the people in the room tilted their heads with lifted eyebrows in confusion. Alexander sighed when he heard the bewildered chatter. "Pope Leo XIV leads the Catholic Sect of Christianity, the Dalai Lama leads the Tibetan Mahayana Buddhists, and the Brahmins are the highest 'caste' of Hinduism, although the Caste System was officially and unofficially converted into a non-society-affecting formality many, many years ago."

"How do you know so much about Human Religion?" Eleria T'Geya inquired.

"Lots of Studying," he replied. "One cannot be a Guardian of Free Will without first possessing a -at the very least- basic understanding of different worldviews and opinions. You will learn this as time goes by."

"Well, way to make a casual conversation educational, Sensei…" Kasumi groaned childishly, using her nickname for Alexander.

"So the Goddamn Pope blessed a giant rock that the Asari pulled out of any old colony?" Zaeed asked again, chuckling noisily.

"Hey, it's much better than condemning the Asari for not believing in Jesus… like hundreds of Popes before would have done…" Frederico Corado mumbled, reading over a datapad.

"I suppose you're right about that," the Mercenary muttered.

"So I heard Ashley was going after an Alliance Traitor?" Kaiden asked as he uncrossed his arms and letting them fall to his sides.

"Who also abandoned Cerberus," Hawthorne "corrected".

"Yeah, I heard he took a bunch of goodies from the Lazarus Project and slipped out the back door to go pawn it off to some of Shepard's enemies," Eleria answered.

"I think it's about damn time we kicked him in the daddy-bags, as a little 'retirement present'," Kenneth snickered as he cracked his knuckles in a vain attempt to look intimidating.

"Kenneth, I've seen you shoot… no comment," Gabby replied, with a look that seemed to scream "you're an idiot!"

* * *

**Sanves, Outer Council Space, 2185**  
The Normandy lands in the spaceport of the Capital city, Etheai.

Before getting off of the Ship, John Shepard quickly selects his squad, and decides to have an extra squad cover his own.

"Ashley, Mordin, on me," he ordered, then turning his attention to the rest of the crew. "Alex, I need you to take a group to the café over there, and wait for our orders to move in. You choose who you take along."

Alex smiled and nodded, quickly picking out Kairee and Jack.

Everyone else was released for Shore Leave. "Everyone's fake IDs, Credit chits, and Cerberus Shore Leave guidebooks are ready for pickup in the conference room," Yeoman Chambers announced to everyone waiting to get off the ship.

"So, Ashley, we made it to Sanves. Do your leads tell us where this guy is?" the Commander questioned as they disembarked the Normandy.

"Not his exact location, but I know it's this city," she replied, her eyes narrowing as she scoped out the scene. A human male should be easy to find in a city of Monogendered Asari.

"Enough talk. Let's just kill something," Jack interrupted, walking off indignantly with Alex and Kairee. Ashley threw John a strange glare.

"I haven't blown up the Teltin facility on Pragia, yet. When this is over, maybe I'll bring you along," John muttered, following after Jack.

* * *

**Alex, Kairee, and Jack: New Leads**

The trio sat alone in the "Athame's Star" café within the Spaceport, quietly listening and watching for any sign of Bruce.

"You know, I've been thinking about Halloween…" Kairee said, placing her hand on Alexander's.

"Our dance?" he asked in response, smiling as he took a bite of his breakfast pastry. When they landed, it was technically morning by Galactic Standard Time (GST), even if the entire night sky was shrouded in darkness. To him, it looked like it would have been 3:00 AM on the Winter Solstice back on Earth.

"Yes, actually," replied Kairee as she traced a little circle on the back of his hand.

"I meant everything that I said, except for the part where I was pretending that we'd just met, of course," Alex said with a little laugh, remembering how he had played dumb when they had masques to conceal their identities.

Much to his annoyance, Alexander noticed a group of Asari checking him out, talking amongst each other. It was clear they were talking about him. He could hear them, but he wasn't sure how. It was as if every other sound had muted, so that he could hear the Asari with complete clarity.

"He's pretty cute…" one with a purplish skin-tone commented, turning to her friend in a blue robe.

"Hey, you wouldn't have a shot with him if you tried!"

Another Asari, with white face-paint around her cheeks and chin, piped up at this point. "Oh hush; you have a bond-mate already."

"If you want him so bad, just walk up to him," the one in blue replied indignantly.

Alexander sighed and put the palm of his hand to his face. The rest of the world's sounds came back to him.

"Something wrong, love?" Kairee asked as the Asari began her approach.

Alexander held up his fingers, slowly putting them back down, one by one. "Three… two…" he murmured inaudibly.

"Hi, I'm Irena," the Asari said, offering her hand and a smile.

"Alexander," the Assassin replied, shaking her hand. "Not to sound crass, but I'm already in a Relationship. I'm not interested," he swiftly added.

Irena's eyes immediately strayed to Kairee. She looked up and down, sizing up her competition. "You aren't even of the same Amino group…" she muttered, a private thought she made aloud without even knowing it.

Jack rolled her eyes and leaned forwards on the table, her face displaying an expression of true hostility. "Hey, look, he's just not into you. Quit *****in' about the Turian and **** off!"

Alexander and Kairee's eyes both widened as Jack only made the situation worse, as much as she was trying to help. "In before catfight…" Alexander said, coughing into his fist.

Irena's biotics flared in anger. "I'm sorry, what did you just say to me?"

"You heard me!" Jack shouts.

"Both of you stop this immediately!" Kairee barked, restraining Irena as she tried to jump over the table onto Jack. Irena shoved her away, into Jack, who then became livid with the both of them. Alexander leapt out of his chair and backed up, bumping into one of Irena's friends.

"Boy, that escalated quickly…" the Asari said, watching on with shock. The three were shouting and striking each other, either with biotics or with blunt Omnitool weaponry. They would be pulling each other's hair… if any of them had any. Kairee and Irena by default did not possess hair, and Jack had her head shaved.

Alexander sprung both of his hidden blades, and as the two biotics prepared shockwaves, he stepped in between the two and held the weapons up to their throats.

"Khvatit ! Ostanovit' etot bred ! (Enough, Cease this nonsense! (Translation may be off.)) Alexander boomed.

"I think my translator bugged?" Kairee said, calming down and checking her Omnitool.

"Wait… what?" Alex asked himself, sheathing the blades and standing aside.

"The hell was that?" Jack asked as Irena, visibly disturbed, backed away slowly.

"I think I just… spoke Russian."

Jack rolled her eyes, "I don't care if you're speaking Keelish."

At that moment, amidst the confusion, Alexander heard a broadcast from a Galactic News terminal behind him.

"A platoon of Blue Suns mercenaries landed in the Etheai Planetary Spaceport yesterday, with questionable motives. When approached, they demanded we shut down our drones, as they would not give the name or location of their contact. One brave deserter divulged the identity of said contact. 'Bruce McCarthy', ex-Alliance scientist. Our anonymous source is now under Police Protection. If you see anything suspicious, please call the number you see below with any information."

Without thinking, Alexander activates his Omnitool and forwards the broadcast to Shepard's team, earning a thank you from Ashley. "Keep your eyes peeled for Blue Suns in the area," she said.

* * *

**John, Ashley, and Mordin: Interrogation**

Shortly after receiving the tip from Alex, Shepard and his team discovered a lone Blue Suns soldier loitering at the back entrance of a bar, within the city. Ashley Williams, unable to control herself, immediately lunged forwards, pinning the merc to the wall. "Answers, now."

"Ashley, what are you doing?!" John said, noticing that his M77 Paladin was missing from his side… and now pressed against the Merc's face.

The Batarian gasped, trying to get some air as Ashley pressed harder against his throat.

"The location of your contact, Bruce McCarthy!" she clarified angrily, finger teasing the trigger.

"Like I would tell the likes of you?" the Batarian taunted with a sly smirk.

"You really want to try the woman with the gun in your face?"

As Ashley was about to pull the trigger, John rushed to her side and wrestled the gun from her hand in one swift movement, of course, keeping it aimed at the mercenary in case anything funny was attempted.

"Watch yourself, Williams. Start shooting randoms on the street and you are no better than him!" he warned. He turned to the Batarian and sneered. "My friend wants to know where you're keeping Bruce McCarthy hidden. I sincerely suggest you tell us what you know. You're in Council Space, and if it wasn't obvious… Commander John Shepard, Spectre."

The Batarian actually gulped nervously when he heard this, understanding the power that the Spectres could wield: They were above the law.

"Doctor's recommendation: tell us what you know," Mordin says, sniffing deeply before continuing, "John's enemies… have a tendency to disappear."

"Bruce McCarthy, Human scientist. He was offering data on your cybernetics in exchange for protection and a way to contact someone. He's holed up outside the city! Some kind of camp was set up in the forests. I don't have the coordinates, I'm just waiting for my officer!" the Batarian merc shouts in panic, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Thank you for your cooperation," John said, lowering the pistol and nodding his head. "Do you mind if we can wait for your officer with you?"

The merc just groaned and hit his head against the wall.

The four waited for what felt like hours before a small group of Blue Suns approached.

"Bok'lathan, what is the meaning of this!?" an Asari boomed, raising her shotgun in John's face. In retaliation, Ashley lifted her M8 Avenger, and Mordin his M6 Carnifex.

"Drop the Eviscerator, now." Ashley said, modding her ammunition to "incendiary".

"The only way I'm putting this down is if you…" the Asari tried to say as John took the Renegade interrupt. He ducked under the barrel of the gun and stood back up, bringing a clenched fist with him, uppercutting the Asari right in the jaw, knocking out a few of her teeth as she crumpled to the ground.

"Knocked it out of your hands? I think Gravity already did that for me…" John scoffed, looking up at the other Blue Suns. "Anybody else want to go? I wasn't armed that time," he added with a cold laugh.

The mercenaries threw their weapons down in surrender, opting to NOT die today. With a sly smirk, Mordin bent down and collected the weapons. With a sniff, he began ranting on the possible effectiveness of the weapons. "AT-12 Raider. Excellent, Batarian Shotgun. Would be very effective for Krogan… or Human, in which case… will let Jack know she has a new 'killing-buddy'."

"Hey, you can't take my gun!" the mercenary on the left shouted, stepping forwards, only to have Ashley put the barrel of her Avenger in his face.

"Yes we can," she said, turning her head in Mordin's direction. "Hey, Solus, do you mind if I can have first dibs on that M55 Argus?" Ash inquired, looking down at the Assault Rifle. Odd how a bunch of Mercs had it, when it was originally meant for Law Enforcement. She guessed that the Blue Suns thought themselves the de facto police force in the Terminus and purchased some M55's to "prove" it.

"Of course. Here you go…" Mordin replied, making the switch with Ashley as he walked off to set the guns down for safekeeping. "Ask the shuttle to pick them up. Later, of course."

John returned his attention to the mercenaries. "Give us your officer's coordinates. Is a man with such a traitorous reputation worth your lives?" he asked, trying to persuade the two to give him what he wanted. Their own lives were the best bargaining chip, he figured.

The mercenary on the right sighed, kneeling down over his officer to steal the coordinates from her omnitool. He then forwarded it to John, leaving a special "gift" for him.

"Thank you, I'm a man of my word. You're free to go," John said with a smile, standing out of the way.

Bok'lathan and the other two mercs ran off in a hurry, leaving John and his squad alone in the alley.

"Joker, send the shuttle to pick us up. Alex, if you're on this channel still, we've acquired the coordinates to Bruce's base camp!" Ashley commanded.

"Right away, Ash!" Joker replied.

"Alright. Forward them to me. I keep hearing about my "fan club" here in Sanves, so I'm sure we'll have a ride of our own," Alex said over the comms. John shrugged and sent the coordinates with his Omnitool. "We got them. Headed there now. Ashley, do you want us to take care of the problem?" Alexander inquired.

"No. Bruce is mine," Ashley replied coldly. After a few minutes, the shuttle arrived to pick them all up.

* * *

**Search…**

The shuttle ride back was lengthy thanks to traffic. John had found a way to pass the time, listening to some music through his armor. The playlist was loaded into his Omnitool as music came from inside his helmet. It was loud enough to hear from the outside.

"Living on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi. Ashley snickered as she heard the now ancient drum beats and guitar riffs…

John sang to himself the refrain of the song, unconsciously raising his voice to a yell, oblivious to the attention he was getting from Mordin and Ashley.

"Nice voice, Mr. John Bon Jovi…" Ashley teased, crossing her arms.

John finally took notice and paused the song, removing his helmet. "Oh hush-up," he ordered, shaking his head with a smile. "I'm not that bad am I?" he asked.

"No, you were pretty spot on. I just didn't expect you to like that old stuff…" Ashley replied, uncrossing her arms and leaning forwards.

"Says she who still reads Alfred Lord Tennyson," John quipped, rolling his eyes and slipping his helmet back on.

"Hey, Tennyson wrote true classics!" Ashley retaliated, pointing an accusing finger.

"Hey, okay, to each his or her own, right?" said John, who threw up his hands in mock surrender, hiding a smirk under his helmet.

As the Shuttle docked in the Normandy, John immediately hopped out, followed by Ashley and Mordin in single file.

"Joker, load up the Coordinates on the map. I want to see where we're deploying!" he commanded, raising a finger into the sky, as if to signal Joker to speak.

"Already done, Commander," EDI's voice said as it reverberated around the Cargo Bay.

In the CIC room, John leaned over the railing as he viewed the holographic display of Sanves. "Right here, in this forest," he announced, pointing his finger at a yellowish blip on the display.

"We're tracking 'Ghost Squad' now… they are en route to our destination in a black Skycar of human make," EDI said, as the globe of Sanves shrank back into the projector and was replaced with an image of a Skycar.

"Good to see Lamborghini is still in business…" Kelly Chambers jibed, giving the display one look and then sniggered at the fact that it looked almost identical to the old Lamborghini Aventadors…

"Leave it to Alex to ride in style…" Ashley commented as she turned and walked into the Armory.

"Alright. When Ashley's done preparing, we'll get on the shuttle. Joker, send for Kaidan. We'll need his versatility in combat," John commanded.

A few minutes later, Ashley emerged from the Armory, equipped with the M55 Argus, modded for higher clip capacity and a scope, and an M92 Mantis

Kaidan stepped out as well, rocking a M15 Vindicator. "Ready to go, Commander," he said, inserting a thermal clip.

"Before we go, I wanted to ask," John stated, holding a hand up in a gesture of patience, "Ashley, you speak about Bruce like this whole thing is personal? What aren't you telling me?"

Ashley bit her lip before speaking, "Bruce McCarthy betrayed the Alliance, taking vital information with him to Cerberus, then betraying them, taking vital information with him to these Blue Suns thugs. I… tried to stop him when I caught him snooping around in classified files regarding your records. He managed to get away, but not before landing me in the hospital," she explained. "That little ass is going to get what he deserves, whatever he's up to, I don't care as long as he doesn't get away with it…"

John frowned in disgust. "You must be glad to know that two years of his work are about to go down the drain, along with his blood," he said with a rather gung-ho tone of voice as he pounded his fist into an open palm.

* * *

**…and Destroy.**

"Approaching the LZ," announced an Asari in white and red, cloth-like, skintight armor as she piloted a Skycar down into the Forests below.

"Set us down gently. I don't want to have to meet resistance this early in the mission," Alex requested, looking out the window.

"Stealth is my middle name!" the Asari joked as the Skycar came to rest in a clearing. The doors opened, and the Assassins filed out, with Jack the last to exit.

"So why the Hell are we sneaking around when we clearly have the strength to run right in?" Jack asked with a scoff, loading her shotgun.

"Well, normally I would opt for that," Alexander said with a nod, "But I don't have an M920 Cain."

"Why does that matter?" Jack sneered lifting her gun up and looking around.

"Meh, I could just end the fight with one shot if I had a Cain, but because I don't, we need to be careful with our approach," Alex explained, reaching for his M11 Suppressor.

"Do you even see their camp?" Kairee asked, looking out into the forest for any sign of sentient life. Alexander looked straight ahead and immediately saw something worthy of suspicion.

"Hand me your Sniper Rifle please, honey?" Alex asked, holding out his hand as Kairee placed her rifle in it. Alexander looked down the scope and zoomed in as far as he could. He could see a large cabin up ahead, a good distance from their current location. Even on maximum zoom, the cabin was pretty small in perspective, and it was still pitch black at the moment, the planet's sun had not risen, so the only trace of the Cabin was the light from a bonfire. "Good, we're far enough away to not have been noticed," Alex said, handing the Rifle back to Kairee and walking forwards toward the Cabin. He pulled his hood up and attached his "helmet", really a mask that covered the bottom half of his face with material similar to his hardsuit. It projected a visor HUD over the upper half of his face if the wearer activated it.

The Asari driver hopped back into the skycar and piloted it away from the LZ. "We're not coming back. You'll have to wait until Shepard's shuttle arrives!" she said as the Skycar flew over the trees.

"John won't be here for a while. I suggest we scout ahead," said Alexander as he left the clearing. The others soon followed, and as they approached the cabin, Alexander ducked down, hitting the dirt and hiding in a bush.

"Sniper, get down!" he said in a hushed but audible whisper as the other two dropped low. Sure enough, a Blue Suns merc was patrolling the rooftops with a Krysae sniper rifle. "Pray that he's not using a Thermal Scope…" Alex muttered as he crawls out of the bush slowly, taking his time as to not rustle the bush and it's leaves. He picked himself up and ran to the side of the building, pressing himself to the wall, hiding under the roof. The Sniper readied his weapon when he heard the light "thunk" that came with Alexander's armor hitting the wood. Alexander took a deep breath, raised his hand to the air, made a gesture, and made a bird call, somewhat like an owl's. At this signal, Kairee stood straight up, drew her rifle and lined up a shot. One pull of the trigger and all that was heard was a 'splat'. Alexander looked up to see the mercenary's body drop from the roof and onto the grassy ground beneath him. "I'm willing to bet you No-Scoped him," Alex joked as Kairee stepped out of the bush and put in a new Thermal Clip.

"Wasn't that hard, considering the distance, lack of wind, the fact that he was a non-moving target. That and the Silencer acts as an extended barrel so…" Kairee rambled, admiring her rifle.

Jack rolled her eyes and stepped out of the bush. "Enough tech-talk. Let's kill this fool and go!" she snarled, walking ahead of the two.

"Jack, we're not here to kill Bruce, we're here to stealthily reduce his guard force," Alex explained.

Jack scoffed and crossed her arms. "Then why the Hell did you bring me along?" she asked, putting one hand to her face. Covertness was not exactly her thing. Especially since she had the power to light this entire building on fire, with her bare hands and a couple of biotic strikes.

"Not too sure, but seeing the amount of Blue Suns here, I'm glad I did," the Assassin replied, crouching and sneaking to the corner of the wall. He peeked around the corner and assessed the situation.

"Three guards at the door. Five at that picnic table. Mostly Batarians, armed with Shotguns. A few Turian assault troopers are having a conversation by that skycar… I think it's about…" Alexander whispered to his squad. His face twisted in confusion as he heard the details of the conversation. "Fornax models?"

Jack sniggered and smiled wide, "No doubt Asari," she said.

"Turian," Alex corrected. Kairee scoffed in disgust and stuck her head out to try and hear. Of course, she didn't pick up a word.

"You're messing with me. I can't believe my people would sell themselves like that!" she hissed.

"Believe it, Antar. People would do damn near anything for money. It's a natural rule of the Universe," Jack retorted, patting Kairee on the back. She snickered and looked down at Alexander. "Alright, Turian strippers aside, what do we do now, Bat-Boy?"

Alexander cleared his throat, ducking back and flicking his wrist to reveal his hidden blade. He lowered his arm to the ground and began to draw shapes in the dirt. "The O's represent the Guards, and the X's represent us. Kairee, you shot down the sniper. Climb up and see if we have an entrance, like a chimney or a glass sun-roof. If we can't get in, try to find someplace where we can hear conversation inside." Alex explained. "Jack, run into the forest. Start screaming, send out Biotic shockwaves, blow stuff up. Draw their attention. When they arrive, rip their heads off!"

"Hell ****ing yeah! Some action around here!" Jack cheered, immediately dashing off into the forest.

Drawing a line from Alexander's X, to a group of O's, Alex himself spoke once more. "Obviously they have to use their brains at some point. We're going to have a few left behind to keep watch. I'll dispose of them myself. When the Perimeter is cleared, we can signal Shepard to land, bust down the door, and take Bruce down!"

"And that's a reason I love you so much. You come up with the devious plans and the daring escapes," Kairee said, placing her Turian mouth on Alexander's cheek, of course after she pulled his hood down. "Alright, I'm headed up," she said, pulling Alex's hood back up. She then turned and dashed up the wall, jumping back and grabbing onto the roof, hauling herself up and rolling onto the roof.

* * *

**Jack: "I will destroy you!"**  
The woman known as Subject Zero raced through the thick foliage of the Sanves forests, hollering at the top of her lungs to draw as much attention as possible, throwing waves of Biotic Energy at the trees, causing them to split and fall.

"TIMBAAAAHHHH!" she screamed, leaping five feet into the air, and with a charge of biotic energy, roundhouse kicked a massive tree, splitting it down the middle with a clean cut produced by biotic and kinetic energy. Right on cue, too. A patrol of Blue Suns, had arrived on the scene. The kicked tree leaned to its side, and with an ominous cracking sound, plummeted to the earth, smashing three mercs like pancakes with a loud splat.

"Holy ****, I didn't know screwing around with trees would be so fun!" Jack taunted, using her biotics to painfully warp several other mercenaries, throwing them into the sky as their molecules were torn apart. A hail of bullets was unleashed upon her as Jack flung herself into the air, then using her powers to crash into the ground, releasing a nova that shattered the mercenaries' shields, armor, and bones. Only one survived, and not for long as Jack charged towards him and threw her hands around his neck. Her biotics flared up, and with one final roar, Jack sent a small shockwave down her arms, through her hands, and into the poor mercenaries head. Jack released the now dead merc and inspected her handiwork. "I guess helmets aren't as safe as they say…" she jokes, shaking her head. She stepped over the mercenary's caved-in skull and wandered off.

* * *

**Alexander: Traditional Assassinations**  
Alexander peeked around the corner. There were five guards left over. They were sparsely arranged, spread too thin. This was good!  
One was at the campfire, two were at the picnic table, one was standing at the door, and the last one was on the outskirts, hanging out by a tree.

No matter what he did, he'd be noticed by the guards at the door. The saw the entire camp. Crouching low, he moved into the forest, tracing the perimeter until he reached the guard by the tree. The mercs by the door were still keeping watch. Alexander took a deep breath, picked up a small stone, and stood up.

Within the span of five seconds, Alexander whirled to the left and with his right hand, hurled the stone past the mercs by the door, drawing their attention long enough for his next move. He spun rapidly in the opposite direction, and with his left arm, flicked his wrist and buried his hookblade in the mercenary's throat, yanking him into the foliage and concealing the body there. His arms were crossed in an X as he finished his attack. Quickly putting his arms back to his sides, he pressed himself back up against the tree.  
"One down," he murmured to himself.

Vigilantly, he drew his M11 Suppressor and aimed at the heads of the guard by the door. "Six shots…" he reminded himself mentally as he pulled the trigger. The guard dropped dead, but hit the ground audibly enough to draw unwanted attention.

"****!" Alex hissed as one Batarian readied his M15 Vindicator.

Thinking fast, Alexander jumped out of cover and made a mad dash for the guards at the picnic table. As they stood up, Alexander jumped onto the table and brought both blades into their heads, killing them instantly. He soared into the air and drew his pistol once more, sending two bullets towards his target. One missed, and one landed in the Batarian's neck, snapping his brain stem.

With a mid-air barrel roll, Alexander touched down on the ground, stumbling slightly as the recoil threw him off. A good landing, besides that.

"Perimeter cleared," Alexander said into his communicator. Jack simply gave an "okay".

"I know, I watched. Another reason I love you: You carry out your devious plans in the most stylish fashion. The Legends would be proud of you, Alex," Kairee said, waving to Alexander. Sure enough, she was just sitting on the roof, admiring Alexander's skill.

"You think it's enough to survive a suicide mission?" Alexander inquired.

"Don't even think like that, Alex. We're both going to get out of this alive!" Kairee scorned.

"Hey, don't forget about the all-powerful b**** here. I just chopped a tree in half with my foot!" shouted Jack.

* * *

**Kairee: A Stealthy Entrance…?**  
As Alexander's assassination spree came to an end, Kairee stood up and searched around the room once more. Out of pure boredom she began humming a tune she heard at the Halloween dance, finding it rather catchy. She found it odd that the cabin was of Human architectural make, rather than ASARI, considering that this was an Asari colony… Smoke was rising from the chimney.

"Alright the Chimney's a no-go. Someone lit a fire and I do not feel like becoming a Turian Torch," Kairee warned through her communicator.

"And I don't feel like playing Santa Claus today," Alexander quipped, searching the perimeter mindlessly.

"What's that?" the Turian inquired as she kicked the chimney.

"Doesn't matter," Alexander responded, "Can you find any… I don't know, loose boards? Glass Sun-Roofs? Can you hear anything?"

"No Sun-Roofs, but there are a couple loose boards. I think there's a balcony right here… Nobody's on it. Haha, morons… this would have made a wonderful sniping perch."  
"Try the Balcony?" Jack suggested as she made her way to Alexander's location.

Kairee performed a handstand, gracefully swinging down from the roof and onto the balcony. She turned to see what must have been twenty or thirty mercs, all congregating in different parts of the room. Not one noticed her, yet. Her face contorted with shock and worry as she reversed her previous motion, swinging back up onto the roof. "No, no, no, no, no, no!" she stammered.

"Sliding glass doors?" Alexander inquired with a low chortle.

"Sliding glass doors." Kairee repeated, lacking the inquisitive tone.

"I told John that the perimeter was cleared. The shuttle should arrive soon,"

"Good. Hey, there were some loose boards over here…" Kairee mentioned as she began tugging on the board, ripping it off. It revealed an empty closet. "A stroke of luck!" she added gleefully. "I'm going in. There's a closet or something here. I should be able to eavesdrop."

"Good luck, baby," Alexander said with a smile.

"You too, honey," Kairee replied, blushing slightly.

"You may kiss the bride," Jack quipped, rolling her eyes.

Kairee shook her head and hopped down the hole in the boards. Upon standing, she looked in the direction of the door and saw that it was open.

"Aw ****…" she groaned, narrowing her eyes before a hand was cupped around her mouth. A monomolecular CQC knife was pressed against her neck.

"Sssshhhh…" hissed a sadistically calm voice. Boy, what an oxymoron.

Kairee felt something wet pressed against her mouth and nose and, eventually having to breath, she instinctively gasped for breath, only to welcome sweet unconsciousness.

Her captor only gave a deep snicker as he stepped over her and dragged her out for the Mercs to see. "Take her weapons. Tie her up, or something. I don't care what you do as long as we can interrogate her later. Thanks again for the Turian drug."

* * *

**Complications**  
An hour went by, without any word from John or Kairee. Considering Kairee only stopped communications recently, Alexander began to worry.

"Kairee hasn't responded. You think she was…" Alexander tried to say, wincing at the notion.

"Hey, she may be a total Girl Scout, but she knows what she's doing," Jack replied in an attempt to console the young Human assassin. "Besides, I want to know what's taking John so long!"

"Probably the woods are making the signal choppy? I don't know. But, thanks, Jack, I thought for a second that…"

Suddenly, mid-sentence, a loud cry of anger emanated from the Cabin.

"For the last time, and this is definitely the last time I'm asking nicely… Who SENT YOU!?" said the voice.

Alexander glared at Jack irritably, and she threw her hands up in surrender. Her face seemed to say, "whups!"

Running up the Cabin's walls, Alexander ran across the roof to find the hole that was left behind. Without thinking, he jumped in. This time the door was closed. No signs of resistance. Carefully, Alexander opened the door and stepped through, readying his M11 Suppressor. He only expected about ten or so Mercenaries, but by the time he reached the stairs, one creak was all that was needed to seal his fate. All 30 mercenaries whirled around, assault rifles pointed at the assassin. A few lasers dotted his chest and head. A couple of snipers were in the crowd.

As tempting as it was to simply charge in and unleash a Nova, Alexander discovered he could not as one man in the crowd snatched a barely conscious Kairee up. He wrapped one arm around her neck, and held the barrel of an M77 Paladin to the side of Kairee's head. "One move, and I turn your girlfriend into a smear on the floor!" he cautioned.

"You Bruce McCarthy?" Alexander asked, pistol still raised defiantly.

"I don't know, who are you?" Bruce said in a mock Brooklyn accent.

"What is this, the Godfather? We're not mob bosses here!" Alex spat, knowing fully well that the accent was heavily exaggerated with an Italian flair.

"Yeah, I'm Bruce McCarthy," Bruce replied, teasing the trigger of his pistol.

"First of all, how did you find out about us?"

Bruce laughed like a maniac before continuing, "You really thought that you guys could chat it up on your radio on an unsecured channel and not be noticed?"

Alex blinked, before slapping his face with the palm of his hand.

"Aaaarrrgghh… Novice mistake!" he whined.

"Ha, you got that right," Bruce jibed, "And your lady friend here keeps telling me that Commander Shepard sent you guys. Shepard's dead, my friend. Me and Wilson helped sabotage the Lazarus Project. Those mechs should have destroyed everyone, even that smug little Test-Tube baby, Miranda."

"Why are you doing this?!" Alexander questioned, hands tensing up on his M11.

"I know it was the Collectors, my friend. The Collectors killed Shepard. Think about it, they were out in the Terminus Systems looking for Geth. One small colony disappears without signs of resistance, four ships go down in the area, and then the fifth: The Normandy meets her doom over Alchera. I read all the files and put together the puzzle. The Collectors want Humans for some reason. I'm a human myself. I don't want to die, or be some mythological monster's experiment! If I'm going to do something to keep myself alive as long as I can, I might as well gain power from it! Keep the freaks away from me even longer!" Bruce began shouting.

"So why take records on Shepard's Cybernetics if you believed him to be dead? Your story doesn't add up!"

"Because, regardless of the precautions I took, I figured it'd be a good idea. I wanted to see who'd be willing to pay the most to protect me if Shepard died, and who to barter with if he lives!"

"Sir, that's got to be the worst plan I've ever heard," Alex responded, shaking his head slowly. The Stupid was painful.

"It's a perfect plan! Shepard dies? Then I sell a ****ton of new technology. I can find a way to pay off the Collectors. Shepard lives? Then I trade technology and information to the Collectors in exchange for preserving my life!"

"The Collectors aren't going to keep their word, Bruce," warned the Assassin.

"Of course they are. You are trying my last nerve, good sir!" Bruce boomed.

"Where the hell is Jack?!" Alexander muttered to himself. With his heightened senses, he could here something outside. Either Jack was preoccupied or briefing John and co.

"In case you were wondering, I used a Turian date-rape drug on your friend here. It would be a shame to see it go to waste as a simple sedative…" Bruce growled, trying to find a weakness in Alexander. What he didn't realize is that he just made a horrible mistake.

"I swear to God if you so much as _touch_ her…" Alexander said, before being rudely cut off.

"I'll tear you limb from limb, I've heard that one before. I was going to throw her to some of our Turian mercs. Like hell I'm risking an allergic reaction from a Dextro. It boggles my mind why you're willing to risk it," Bruce laughed, shoving Kairee to the side for a Turian Blue Suns merc to grab her. "My reward for… whatever it was you gave me."

Alexander's right eye twitched, before he swerved his gun arm over to the Turian's direction.

"Risking the mission for a girl?" Bruce taunted, "My, my, for somebody who thinks of me as the foolish one, you've got some pretty bad strategies yourself!"

Alexander was now conflicted. The Angel and Devil were on his shoulders, metaphorically speaking. He turned his gun on Bruce, then back to the Turian, then in between the two, debating with himself what to do.

"Can't decide? I'll make it easier on you," Bruce chuckled, "Daxian, take her out back. Whatever you decide to do with her is fine by me," he added with a dismissive wave of his hand. Daxian dragged Kairee to the back door with little difficulty.

Alexander snarled, ready to attack, but relaxed slightly as he heard the door open.

A gun was pressed against the back of Bruce's head. "I don't quite like that idea, McCarthy," Ashley Williams proclaimed.

"No bloody way…" Bruce murmured, refusing to turn. A few Blue Suns turned and aimed their weapons at Ashley, as John and Kaidan approached.

"Duck," John cautioned with a sly smirk.

"What?" Bruce inquired as the three crouched down. In the distance, Bruce noticed Jack, who was running towards the door like she was insane, which, technically she was. With a victorious roar, she leapt forwards and over the heads of John's squad, causing a contained biotic explosion that swept the mercenaries' off their feet.

"Now!" Ashley bellowed, raising her M55 Argus and opening fire on the Mercenaries. John and Kaidan followed. A good number of them escaped the slaughter and went to find cover.

"Haha! Like fish in a barrel, no?" Kaiden commented, overloading the shields of a Captain.

Alexander slid down the railing and lunged on top of a Blue Suns Commander, flicking his wrist and plunging his blade into the back of the merc's head. He fired off three shots, hitting each target, before sliding in a new thermal clip, putting the pistol away.

"I need more firepower!" Alex shouted. In response, Jack threw him her shotgun and switched to her sidearm. A mercenary tried to rush him, with a Monomolecular CQC knife in hand. Raising his arm sideways, Alex pulled the trigger and shattered his assailant's head.

"The Hell did Bruce go!?" John yelled, looking around as the chaotic firefight continued.

Almost automatically, Ashley twirled around to see Bruce making a mad-dash for the Shuttle. "You're not getting away!" she shrieked, disengaging from the firefight and jumping out of the door.

"Ashley, recover the data!" John demanded.

Jack and Alexander both made eye contact amidst the melee and nodded. Each of them sent a large shockwave in each other's direction, watching with glee as they swept up a group of mercs, then colliding with each other to cause another explosion. "Haha! Fatality!" Alexander jested as he rolled to the side to evade a surprise attack, quick-drawing his pistol and shooting his target in the crotch and then the head in two quick bursts.

Meanwhile, Bruce McCarthy was halfway to the shuttle…

"See you in another two years, Williams!" Bruce taunted, picking up his pace.

Ashley froze in her tracks, knowing she couldn't catch up in time. Instead, she reached back and grasped her M92 Mantis. "Ring out the False, Ring in the true…" Ashley said to herself, lining up a shot. She took a deep breath and held it as the crosshairs met her target's back. She fired a round and smirked as it made contact, causing Bruce to scream in agony as he hit the ground hard. "Alfred Lord Tennyson…" Ashley murmured, reminding herself of who originally said that quote.

Walking over to Bruce, she smiled and knelt down over him. She flipped him over and searched his coat for a datapad with information regarding John's cybernetics. "This is it?" Ashley thought to herself as she scanned his Omnitool. More data on Project Lazarus, including who worked on it, how much it cost, what they were trying to do and why.

Bruce let out a bloody gurgle before snickering smugly, "You have what you want… I know how much you despise Cerberus… take the data for yourself. Give it to the Alliance… Shepard is being controlled, Ashley. They put a control chip in him. He'll just betray you when this is all over!" he tried to say, coughing up a bit of blood. Ashley gave a look of disgust as it dribbled down his cheeks.

"I don't believe you," she replied with a low growl.

"Why should you? I'm just giving you advice… warning you… you don't have to heed the warning, no…" Bruce groaned, turning over and coughing more blood onto the ground.

"Even if it is true, I'm fighting to defeat the Collectors. We'll deal with John if he's really being controlled. Besides, he's got a sister who isn't being manipulated," Ashley reasoned, in an attempt to rationalize what she was being told. Truth be told, she was severely conflicted. She could keep the data and review it later, but there was a chance she'd be allowed to see the data after turning it in to John and the others.

"It's your… choice, Williams…" Bruce replied, attempting a wicked cackle. He would remain his egotistical self until his final demise. He refused to give Ashley the pleasure of her victory.

"And I choose to trust John until somebody confirms your story," Ashley said, standing up and aiming her Sniper Rifle at his face. "Rest in Peace, McCarthy," she said as she pulled the trigger. Turning back towards the Cabin, she placed her sniper back on her back and ran inside. The rest of the mercs were dead. To Ashley's horror, when she turned to her left, she saw Alexander slumped against the wall. John and Kaidan were knelt besides him, applying medigel to his wounds. He was resisting them, trying to stand up.

"Let me go!" he shouted, hissing in pain. His biotics were flaring up in anger.

"You're wounded, calm down and just tell us what happened!" Kaidan responded, pushing Alexander back to the wall.

"They got her, Kairee, they drugged her. Bruce ordered some Turian to get rid of her, she's outside, let me go!" Alexander roared, blasting Kaidan and John backwards with a Nova. He picked himself up and began limping over to the back door. In a rage, he blew it open with a biotic shockwave. The Turian from before had not joined the fight, choosing instead to hide like a coward. Kairee was tied to a support beam, her upper body armor had been torn off recklessly, her sniper rifle's barrel snapped in half. Her bracers were lying on a table to the side, out of reach. This meant she didn't have her hidden blades. The Turian merc was behind said support beam, holding a knife to her throat. "You let me go and she lives!" he said, in an attempt to bargain with Alex.

Kairee had pretty much regained full awareness at this point, but was visibly in pain. A headache from the drugging. Alexander raised his pistol, but couldn't find a way to make a clean shot. Suddenly, as the merc's two fingers loosened their grip on the knife, Kairee raised her foot into the air and slammed it down hard on her captor's own foot, breaking through the shields and armor. A cracking sound was heard as the Turian Blue Suns merc dropped his knife and cursed repeatedly in an unknown Turian dialect.

Alexander sprang into action, using his hidden blades to cut the ropes tying Kairee to the beam. Almost immediately after that, Kairee picked up the dropped knife and flourished it briefly before throwing it down into the mercenary's helmet. "Thanks for the rescue," she said, turning in Alexander's direction.

"Actually, you should thank Ashley for interrupting. Had she not shown up when she did, I'd have just charged in and gotten myself killed," Alexander replied with a laugh. "Are you hurt?"

"No, not really. I feel violated, and I'm totally living out the 'damsel in distress' cliché, but I'm not hurt," Kairee admitted, scratching her mandible nervously, "Let's just get off of this planet."

**Assassin Mission Report: Mission Success**  
_Alliance Traitor Bruce McCarthy, on the run for 2 years, has been killed on Sanves trying to sell data regarding the Lazarus Project to the Blue Suns. The Collectors were mentioned in Bruce's clichéd monologue. His logic was flawed, but further investigation is required to tie the Blue Suns with the Collectors. Better save than sorry. Data returned to Cerberus. Mutual Cooperation benefitted us both, as we were allowed to see non-classified information regarding the resurrection process. Could be useful in the future. Ashley Williams is now focused on the task at hand, having had history with the now deceased Bruce._

**Cerberus Mission Report: Mission Success**  
_Alliance/Cerberus traitor Bruce McCarthy killed on Sanves. Lazarus Project data recovered, Blue Suns mercenaries have been dealt with. Subject Nuovo, aka Alexander Clarke, mentioned that McCarthy spoke of a potential connection between the Collectors and John Shepard. With Bruce out of the way, Ashley William's mind is now cleared and she can focus on the mission._

* * *

**Normandy SR2, 2185**  
"John!" Ashley said as she bumped into him on the way to the Armory. "I wanted to thank you for helping me take down Bruce!"

John smiled and shook her hand in a professional manner, "Hey, anything for an old friend, Ash," he replied.

"I'm ready and raring to go for this mission. I think I'm even looking forwards to this Suicide Mission. Not as stressful as you may believe!"

"Good to hear. Oh, and Miranda wanted to see you in her office downstairs. You're not in trouble, she just wants to have a conversation while she has the time," John said, stopping Ashley for a moment longer before walking off.

Downstairs, in the Mess Hall, Alexander, Kairee, and a few Crewmen were having a conversation over their meal.

"So you got hit with a biotic throw in the leg?" Crewman Hawthorne inquired, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah. Nothing that bad, though. My shields were up, but it felt like I got kicked by a horse at the time," Alexander confirmed, rubbing his thigh and wincing at the memory.

"Oh that's an exaggeration!" Hawthorne laughed, "If it felt like a kick from a horse, it'd probably be broken!"

"I'll believe that, but I refuse to believe you killed five men in under 30 seconds," Crewman Rolston chided.

"No, I actually did. Maybe in a day or two I'll demonstrate for the whole crew, if you're interested. I'll need training V.I.s though!"

"So, Kairee, how are you? I heard they drugged you at some point. Are you alright?" Crewman Goldstein inquired worriedly.

"Been better. I have this slight headache, though, and I'm still pretty tired," Kairee replied, "smiling" at the Crewman's sympathy.

"And you, Alex?" Goldstein added. She knew that it was no rumour that the two were together.

"I'm perfectly fine besides the leg," Alexander said, placing both hands on the table.

An awkward silence filled the mess hall for a brief moment…

"Alright, I'm a piping hot mess," Alexander finally confessed, running a hand through his hair, "Have you ever experienced something... y'know, actually LIVE IT, and even while you're living it, you just can't explain it? I mean, Heroes coming back from the dead? Collectors? Genetic Memory? Assassins working together with Templars? Hey, I'm just a man whose Ancestors knew how to hold a weapon exceptionally well!" he laughed, shaking his head to show his disinclination towards the mission.

"You really feel that way? I've seen you in action. We're going to give the Collectors true Hell with your help!" Crewman Rolston said in praise.

"Thanks for the compliments, Mr. Rolston, but I'm just lucky to have squeaked in when I did."

"Well, all of the negativity aside, I enjoyed our conversation," Kairee announced, pushing her seat back. Before she got up, however, she leaned to the side and whispered in Alexander's ear. "I'm going to go take a shower, mmkay?"

Alexander turned his seat around the face Kairee as she stood up. "Alright, then," Alex casually replied, patting the armrests.

Kairee gave a sly smirk before turning and walking away. She took a few steps and stopped, moving her upper body around to face Alexander again, "And you're taking one with me," she added. A couple of Crewmen snickered as Alexander blushed slightly.

Alexander clapped his hands together once, looking around the room. "Even better!" he said, dismissing the stares from the other Crew members. He stood and followed after Kairee.

"Hey, take pictures!" Hawthorne called after him. Alexander did not turn or react verbally. He thrust his fist into the air with his hidden blade sprung between his index and ring finger as he walked off.

* * *

**((Dirty Jokes lol. That last convo was actually based off of a conversation between Tony Stark and Pepper in Iron Man 3. So this is one of my better chapters, I'm positive of that. I write so much better when I'm not restrained by censors. It's also why this story is M rated.))**


	7. Kaidan: High Risk, High Gain

**((A/N: Hey! Sutori-Artifex here! I finally posted another chapter for ME:C! Hey, so I had some questions I wanted to ask you guys... My family knows I write this, right? None of them have played Mass Effect and don't understand anything, yet they read this anyways... I've started to take down some of my censors/barriers and start pushing the limits of the current T rating. I've removed asterisk (*) censors for foul language on some occasions, and I've been writing in more suggestive content between some of the pairings in this story. I feel comfortable without all the restrictions. I *like* that freedom, but my family, is kinda wanting to return to the whole "Platonic-only relationship" and cease to use foul language. They claim that when I write that, it's "a lack of creativity" or that I'll "lose respect from my following (you guys)"... what? You guys don't get offended by what I write down, right?**

**Post a review telling me what you think. Am I good with what I got going on as of this chapter or should I make the story a little more tame? Are you guys offended by foul language/use of suggestive writing? Please do not give me a "it's your story bro do what you want" because that isn't the case this time. I've pulled some family aggro (aggression), and they're recommending that I cut down on the mature content... for a fanfiction about two M rated games...? Give me your HONEST opinion, and above all, enjoy this update of Mass Effect: Creed!))**

**UPDATE 11/27/2014: Edited to fit with the rewrite of Chapter Four. Also I should note: Yes, Ashley and Kaidan's Loyalty Missions are intended to stretch the canon a little bit. I don't know everything about them and tried to fill in the gaps when I wrote these chapters. Bear with me, it gets better.**

* * *

**Mass Effect: Creed**

**Kaidan: High Risk, High Gain**

**Normandy SR2, 2185**

Commander John Shepard sat at his desk, looking over his computer, researching an important topic: "How to remember to feed fish."

Suddenly, he received a ping on his Omnitool. Duty calls. "Yes, Kelly?" John said, before he even read the caller ID.

Kelly's usual, perky voice replied promptly, seeing as how this was becoming a bit of a routine for the both of them. "Kaidan Alenko has requested that you speak with him in Starboard Observation. Something's got him really down lately. I tried to get him to talk to me about it, but he told me it wasn't necessary. I know as a psychologist that brooding over something, then refusing to talk about it is never a good sign. Can you please see what's going on?" she meticulously explained.

"I'll get right on that," John replied, "Thanks, Kelly." He ended the call and spun in his chair. He gazed longingly at the fish tank in his cabin's left wall and sighed. "I will remember to feed you guys…" he muttered to himself, wiping his face with his hands before standing and heading to the elevator.

Down in Starboard Observation, Kaidan was reading over some vintage magazines from the early 1990s, about Pop-Culture at the time. Just as he was getting into an article regarding Michael Jackson, the door opened with an audible hiss. John Shepard stepped through and gave Kaidan a kindly nod, prompting Kaidan to stand and salute. "Sir! I've been meaning to speak with you about some recent events, family related!"

John gave a dismissive wave in response to Kaidan's salute and formal address. "Yes, Kelly told me you were brooding over something. Could we talk about that?" he inquired with a concerned stare.

Kaidan sighed and sat back down. "Yeah, we can. I recently got word about a pretty bad situation regarding my father. He works in the Alliance Military, his age and rank keeps him out of combat, right? Well, he'd been sent to this archaeological dig on Sur'Kesh. Found something real interesting. So interesting that there is currently a hostage situation going on over there. Nobody's doing anything about it and I only just recently got the memo. Frederico and Eleria forwarded it to me from the Citadel Assassins, who in turn received the message from the Sur'Kesh Assassins. If one brave soul went to the Brotherhood, out of any other faction, to sound the alarm, I think we have Templars holding my father for questioning over a **ground-shattering discovery. **Could we ehh… check that out? Knock some heads and get my father back?" he explained thoroughly.

John sat and processed this information. Sounds like the situation's pretty nasty if nobody on Sur'Kesh (Law Enforcement, or Spectres) are doing anything about it or making it a public event. Real Hush-Hush. "If it will prove that I'm loyal to my team rather than Cerberus, then of course I can spare some time, Kaidan," he replied with a warm, friendly smile.

"Thanks, Shepard. So since the Templars are messin' with us down on Sur'kesh, I take it we're bringing Alex and Kairee to the fight? Somebody else?" Kaidan asked, slightly suggesting that those two be in the squad.

"Alexander's in the Animus as we speak. Miranda told us that they could 'procrastinate no longer' with that thing… Kairee received word from her mother, asking her to head to Palaven. Something about 'apologizing' for their bad past. Their both out right now," John replied with a small shrug.

Kaidan nodded his head and stroked his bare chin thoughtfully for a moment. "How about we fight like we did in the old days? We've got Garrus, we got Tali, we got Wrex, Ashley, Jane, and we're here, so why not?" the L2 offered.

This was a tempting offer, especially since Wrex was probably dying for some real action right about now. While they were missing Liara, everybody else was present and accounted for, and this mission was in Kaidan's honor, so the question wasn't exactly "why," rather it was "why not," and John agreed perfectly with his old friend.

"Joker! Set a course for Sur'Kesh, and send for the Original Squad, please," John ordered, looking up at the ceiling. After a few seconds of silence, the Helmsman's reply sounded out loud and clear through the Observation Deck.

"Will do, Commander. Do you need anybody or anything else?" Joker asked, hand hovering over the intercom button for the rest of the Crew-Deck.

"That'll be all, Joker, but tell Mordin that we're going to Sur'Kesh if he wants to take some shore leave. Also… have Zaeed and Jacob restrain Grunt!"

"Aye, Aye, Commander!"

With that out of the way, Kaidan took one final look at the Michael Jackson article and tossed the magazine aside. He eagerly exited the Observation Deck, with John Shepard close in tow, ready and raring to go for some action!

The two went to the Mess Hall to pick up Ashley, who was chatting with Thane and Garrus about some topic. Kaidan gave her one look and immediately she knew that it was Go-Time. Grabbing Garrus' arm, Ashley stood up and brought him along without another word. Meanwhile, Thane sat and blinked as he processed the awkwardly silent exchange.

They stepped onto the elevator to find Tali'Zorah standing in the middle of it. She didn't seem to mind everybody getting onto the elevator as the door closed and sent them up to the CIC Deck, where they departed and head straight to the Armory. Wrex got Joker's message and was perusing the vast selection of Shotguns. He settled on a M300 Claymore, picking it up and resting it on his shoulder before turning and smirking at John and his group. The team went separate ways to find weapons suitable to them, Jane Shepard entering the room five minute later.

John Shepard went with an M96 Mattock-Auto, what Alexander affectionately dubbed "The Auto-Mattock Assault Rifle" and an M27-Scimitar.

Jane Shepard chose her signature N7 Hurricanes, dual-wielded.

Garrus picked up an M29 Incisor and a Phaeston.

Kaidan used his biotics and lifted an M15 Vindicator and M77 Paladin to him, setting them on the Workbench and modding them at a leisurely pace.

Ashley reclaimed her M55 Argus and M92 Mantis, twirling the M55 in her hand and setting it on her back. The M55 collapsed partially and locked onto her armor.

Tali settled on an M22 Eviscerator shotgun and an M6 Carnifex for their firepower. She joined Kaidan in modding the weaponry to her preferences.

Once everything was sorted out, the squad head down to the Cargo Bay to wait for the A-Okay to board the shuttle. Even though that this was the same team that helped put an end to Saren Arterius' treachery, something felt wrong. John, Jane, Ashley, and Kaidan kept up a silent gaze at each other, occasionally veering their heads over to face Tali and Garrus, then back at each other. Ashley bit her lip and sighed. She would be first to speak. "So, you and Tali… John."

John raised a brow and looked over at the Quarian Machinist. "Yes?" he asked Ashley.

"It's fine that you two have your thing. I know that we've… put everything behind us after you picked me up off Horizon, and I know exactly what you see in Tali. She's like a little sister to me. It's cool, but… I really don't want to hurt our friendship. Are _we_ cool, Skipper?" Ashley replied, fiddling nervously in place as she used her nickname for John.

John gave her a warm smile and a bold nod of the head. "Of course we're cool, Ash, and I'd hate for our friendship to go sour as well," he responded as he gave his ex-girlfriend a hearty handshake in agreement.

Kaidan narrowed his eyes at Garrus for a minute before directing his half-glare to Jane Shepard. "So… you and Garrus?" he asked with a short shrug.

"Why not?" Jane replied, wandering over to the Turian and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Wait, you 'broke up'… and now the Shepards are now dating the dextros? How come nobody told me this earlier?!" Wrex exclaimed, dumbfounded at this revelation. All eyes were on him and he immediately figured it out: sensitive topic. This was just now being fully laid to rest. Wrex calmed down and chortled lightly to himself, pleasantly surprised to see that even the Shepards' lives were subject to change such as this.

John gave a low chuckle and turned his head to eye Garrus up and down. "Don't think that because you're my best friend that you're getting out of 'That Talk'," he warned with a sly smirk. That Talk consisted of the usual "Hurt my Sister and I'll kill you" banter, and it was the same talk he had given to Kaidan two years ago when he first picked up the signs that Kaidan and Jane were sweet on each other. He turned back to Kaidan and glared at him coldly. "The only reasons I haven't mounted your head up in my Cabin were, One: I was dead for Two Years, and I couldn't exactly become a Poltergeist if you catch my drift, and Two: Alex already kicked your Ass on Horizon.

Kaidan could say nothing at this point. He just stayed quiet...

"Commander, we have arrived over Sur'Kesh. You may now board the Shuttle," EDI's synthetic voice called, reverberating throughout the Cargo Bay.

That was their cue. They all filed into the Shuttle and took their seats as it flew out and away from the Normandy, headed towards Sur'Kesh's surface. The ride went rather smoothly, no complaints, no further conversation between any Party-Members aside from "You Ready?" banter.

* * *

**Tez'akim Archaeological Digsite, Sur'Kesh, 2185**

EDI's voice called from the Normandy, speaking through the Shuttle. "The Tez'akim Archaeological Site is close by. Area scans show that Hostile Forces have posted SAM Infantry armed with unusually modified M920 Cains in various locations in and around the digsite. Recommend extreme caution be taken when landing the shuttle," she cautioned, before going silent again.

"Any ideas for dealing with them? I was just about to say… nothing we haven't seen before, but umm… apparently they're packing Nuke-Guns and it's likely those "modifications" are targeting mechanisms. Using the shuttle or the Normandy for Air-Support is a horrible idea," Ashley asked, checking her M55-Argus.

"Well, this shuttle's in Cerberus Colors. Last I checked, Cerberus is the Templar's public face. I'm fairly certain that we could just land and talk this out," Jane Shepard suggested, putting her SMGs away. "Not that I'm not ready for combat should it be the only option."

"Not the smartest idea. This digsite's been on lockdown for at least half a week from the information I was given. Whatever's here, they must be **dying** for it, and are even more obviously ready to **kill** for it. I've no doubt in my mind that the farthest they're letting us go is a five-minute chat with dad," said Kaidan, his biotics flaring up in reaction to his irritation. Tali patted his shoulder consolingly with a free hand and then grabbed a handlebar on the shuttle-ceiling for support as the shuttle began a steep descent.

"Attention, any and all activity on this site is none of your concern. This is authorized by Dalatrass Telore, speak with her if you have any questions about our activity. If you're here to supplement our security force, please relay your access code," a menacing, although fast-paced voice announced. Presumably, Ground-Control was trying to determine if they should obliterate or spare the shuttle and everyone inside it.

"EDI?" John requested, eagerly awaiting EDI's access hack.

Meanwhile, at Ground-Control, a Salarian with a grim, harsh expression on a face riddled with deep scars, stood over a human male who was monitoring arrivals to the digsite. "Did they send the code?" he inquired.

The human stood up and saluted the Salarian before responding. "It's an older code, sir, but it checks out."

"An older code? Must have been late. Relay traffic from the Citadel's been tough, lately," the Salarian said with a mild shrug, "So carry on, let them land, but I want to speak to their leader personally."

The Normandy-Shuttle landed a foot above the ground and the doors opened to allow John and his team to pour out of the sides, all meeting up on the left side, weapons readied just in case. The Salarian came running out of the makeshift bunker to greet them.

"I'm Salas Leseon. I wasn't aware that Cerberus had sent reinforcements," the Salarian introduced himself, nodding curtly at John and co.

Kaidan immediately stepped forwards and glared at Salas. "We're here for Captain Alenko," he said, doing everything in his power to restrain his anger.

As Salas reached for his pistol, John Shepard stepped up to the plate. "Transfer. We're taking him and whatever you found here to the Cerberus headquarters for safeguarding," he clarified in an attempt to keep the peace a moment longer.

Salas smirked at John. "Templar Agents eh? Well. We haven't actually _found_ the artifact yet. We're looking for it, wherever Captain Alenko had it hidden when we got here. Also, if you have clearance to bring Alliance personnel to the Cerberus HQ… what is the HQ even called…?" he inquired, narrowing his eyes and widening his smirk, victoriously.

John stood there, looking both ways, unable to answer. "EDI?" he mumbled.

"That information is _heavily_ classified," she replied through the comms in his helmet.

John resigned, raising a fist to his mouth and coughing. "Sic semper tyrannus" he murmured under the guise of a rough throat and bad cough.

Salas drew his pistol and fired at John's head, striking the shields hard and staggering the Commander. "You son of a…!" he said, drawing his "Auto-Mattock" and unloading hell on Salas. The noise of the gunfire drew attention from Templars all around, who immediately stopped whatever it was they were doing, whether it was executing resisting workers or patrolling the digsite, and broke into a crazy-charge at the team.

"Get to cover!" Garrus ordered, aiming down the scope on his Phaeston and spread-firing at a small squad that had left the bunker that Salas had come from. Throwing a grenade, he cleared out resistance at the door and ran to it.

Tali'Zorah instinctively deployed a combat drone and assisted John in killing Salas. A blast from her Eviscerator effectively EVISCERATED **(huehuehuebadjoke)** Salas' head, breaking through his shields and ending his life. "Chiktikka, hold them off!" she commanded her drone as she switched to her Carnifex for ammo purposes.

"Firing a Carnage blast!" Urdnot Wrex roared before lifting his shotgun up and firing a missile-like device at an Asari Vanguard. It looked like red, miniature comet, and exploded with great force, knocking the Vanguard off of her feet as Wrex executed her by hammering his shotgun down on her back. He turned and sent a biotic shockwave in the direction of a small group of human soldiers. They flew back and were suspended mid-air for Ashley Williams to pick off with her Mantis sniper-rifle.

"C'mon!" Garrus cried, waving his hand through the open bunker door. The squad all went in his direction and was ushered inside. Garrus fired a single 3-round burst from his Incisor and slammed the door shut. Jane Shepard kicked down the door leading into the Ground-Control room, which was constructed rather recklessly out of makeshift materials. This was an occupation of a _digsite_ not a full-blown military base. Not everything was **so** advanced. She drew both of her N7 Hurricanes and aimed them at the unarmed Templars at the monitors and other instruments.

"Hands in the air, we're taking this place back!" she cried, pointing one Hurricane up to the ceiling and firing wanton to frighten the Templars to submit. "Search the place for anything regarding Kaidan's father," she ordered.

Kaidan Alenko wandered over to one especially frightened Templar and gripped him by he collar of his uniform. He was a human, couldn't have been more than 21 years of age. Kaidan rammed him against the wall and sneered. "Where are they holding him!?" he questioned, droplets of spit escaping and hitting the man on the forehead.

"I don't know!" he barked defiantly. This instigated a reaction from Kaidan, who pulled him back briefly and shoved him back against the wall, harder this time.

"Strike One!" he replied. John Shepard's hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"Kaidan, stop this, now," he ordered calmly.

The man pressed against the wall started blubbering about something. Kaidan stared into his eyes with a cold, soul-piercing gaze… "He's in the Site Director's Office! I heard some of my superiors talking about an 'Alenko' in the Director's Office, being questioned for something! My rank is too low for them to discuss it with me so I didn't ask! Please, that's all I know I swear!" he panicked, holding his hands up to his face.

"That's all we needed to know," Kaidan coolly replied.

"Are you going to kill me?" the man asked weakly, his voice croaking slightly.

"No," Kaidan answered as he slammed his head into the man, knocking him out cold, before releasing him onto the floor.

"That was rather brutal," Garrus commented, lifting his Phaeston to his shoulder.

"And you were any different with Harkin?" Jane inquired, leering confidently.

Garrus' eyes narrowed and his mandibles twitched lightly… "Touché…"

Urdnot Wrex sifted through some files carelessly left on a cabinet-top and bobbed his head in acceptance of the data recovered. "He was right about Kaidan's father being in the Director's Office. Location's right here on this Datapad!" he said, chucking the pad in Tali's direction. She caught it perfectly and began tinkering with it via Omnitool.

"Sorry, it's in Keelish. Minority language. Perfect for classified files unless you're Quarian, speak Keelish, a codebreaker, or have your translator set to this dialect," she elucidated as she translated the datapad's contents and handed it delicately to John.

The Commander read it over before setting it down on a desk and gesturing for the team to "huddle-up". Jane still kept a watchful eye on the Templars cowering under the desks. "Alright. We're going to split into two teams. I'll take Tali and Kaidan to find his father. Jane, take Garrus, Ashley, and Wrex and **_buy us time!_**" he explained, lowering his voice to a hushed whisper. "No doubt that the other guards are just **waiting** for us to walk out of the bunker. They know we're here, but they're also smart enough to know that it wouldn't be shooting fish in a barrel when it comes to us. Run out first and offer a diversion so that we can recover any hostages and retrieve the artifact!"

The team separated and John threw a fist in the air. "Team Mako!" he cried.

Silence.

"You couldn't drive that damn thing if a Thesher Maw was tailing us merely a foot away… oh wait, that one time… I remember… **THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED**," Ashley snidely quipped, shivering at the memory of the Shepards' notoriously bad driving that seemed almost genetic.

"Well, come on, it's _decent_… we can't exactly say 'Team Normandy' because of all the others on the _SR-2_. I think Mako is pretty good!" Tali replied, rubbing John's shoulder affectionately.

"You _would_ stick up for him," Ashley replied. Catfight in 3…2…

"**It doesn't matter what we call the original team, people!"** Garrus interjected, firing a burst from his Incisor into the ceiling, provoking a squeak of mortal terror from the squad's pseudo-hostages.

Kaidan nodded and gave a silent signal for Wrex to lead the charge, what every Krogan does best.

"FOR TEAM MAKO!" Wrex roared, rushing up the stairs at flame-enkindling speeds to smash open the door and send off biotic shockwaves at the guards that were predictably posted at the sides of the door. Jane, Ashley, and Garrus rolled their eyes as they followed the Krogan Battlemaster.

"See? Team Mako's a good name!" John said in Kaidan's direction.

"Let's just get my dad… and go home."

The way to the Director's Office was **pure hell**. Regardless of the Diversion-Team doing their job well, the S&amp;R team was still encountering resistance. For five minutes, John and company had been exchanging fire with more elite Templar agents of "Dalatrass" Telore. Fast, accurate, and cunning Salarians with the skills and tools of STG (Salarian Tasks Group).

Kaidan fired a volley of 5-Round bursts from behind some excavation equipment and successfully killed a single agent, before his place was filled by lesser reinforcements.

Tali'Zorah and her combat drone, "Chiktikka vas Paus" were busy having a 2v2 with a Salarian Engineer with his own combat drone. Each drone took turns zapping each other while Tali would search for moments of weakness to fire rounds from her Carnifex, all the while trying to **not** get shot by the engineer.

"Shepard!" Kaidan cries out, pointing in the distance at a burly Krogan Templar with what appears to be an M920 Cain… and it was charging. John got the memo and free-ran up and off of a safety fence, biotic-charging straight towards the Krogan. As the Cain was a second from finishing it's initial charge, John engaged his hidden blade mid-charge and rammed it straight into the throat of the Krogan. The biotic amplifier, electrical charge, and the force of the charge and stab, penetrated every layer of defense that the Krogan had: Shields, armor, and tough skin. In shock, he dropped the Cain, firing it into the distance and causing it to detonate on another makeshift bunker, collapsing it. John swept the Krogan off of his feet and pinned him to the ground, stealing his thermal clips and recovering the Cain for later use, replacing the "heavy-weapon charge" with one of his own. He felt his strength return to him and he charged again to get back into the fray, interrupting a Templar "Striker" mid-attack as he tried to stealthily execute Kaidan from behind. As the Striker went flying, a bullet from Tali's Carnifex killed him as he cart-wheeled through the air.

"Nice shot," John remarked almost flirtatiously.

"Nice charge," Tali replied in a similar manner as bullets whizzed by their heads.

Kaidan rolled his eyes and threw a grenade from over cover. "You guys pick the absolute worst times to flirt, you know that?"

"Don't be jealous," Tali quipped, patting him on the back as she ducked into cover next to him. She had apparently won the fight with the Salarian engineer and his drone.

"You're good with that drone, Tali," Kaidan said as he used an overload on a hostile's shields.

"Yeah, Chiktikka won this time. I think it's time that her software leveled up a little bit, y'know?" she commented, "She's got enough experience with all of her old abilities already."

John peers over cover and scans the area for any buildings of interest. A small one, not exactly a cabin, boy, the redundancy of cabins when they had just dealt with Ashley's issues in a cabin in the woods… A small building of Salarian architectural design stood nearby a _deep_ excavation pit. Some text in Salarian was written on a wall, but John didn't understand a word of it. "Hey, that's**got** to be the Director's Office, right?" he asked, ducking back down.

Kaidan looked up and then crouched down within seconds and shrugged. "Looks like it. The rest of the bunkers are of the same design but were much smaller… I'm going to say that we're looking at our destination," he said.

Resistance had died down, and the Salarian Templars were in retreat. This was a golden opportunity. All three of them rolled over cover and traversed the digsite, occasionally pausing to fire and duck back into some form of conviently placed cover. The final, most intense firefight awaited them at the bridge across the excavation pit.

A few Turians and their Asari allies were waiting on the bridge when they all arrived, guns, tech, and biotics at the ready. John, Kaidan, and Tali stopped at the edge of the bridge and looked out across it, at the Templar soldiers guarding the entrance to the office building. "I'm going to give all of you one chance. Surrender and we will not kill you. We seek only Captain Alenko!" John shouted from his side of the bridge.

That did it. One soldier launched a missile in their direction, scattering the squad. Much to everyone's surprise, fire was returned, but not by anybody on the S&amp;R team. Three bullets fired in rapid succession, two shattering the kinetic barriers of the Rocket Trooper, and the third hitting him dead-center in the forehead, killing him in a mercifully quick time.

Garrus Vakarian lowered his sniper rifle, mandibles positioned in such a way that his facial expression was tantamount to a wide, victorious grin better shown on Humans and Asari. "Scoped and dropped."

John Shepard saw this as the right moment to take action. He got up and sprinted across the bridge to get a clear shot at a Biotic Charge. Tali and Kaidan followed after him.

"Blow the bridge! Nobody gets the Captain, nobody finds the Artifact but us! We **_will_** have dominance once again! **FOR THE ORDER!**" an Asari commando barked as her subordinate tinkered with her Omnitool. Several charges of explosive material detonated under the bridge, collapsing the top as Shepard was running across it. Tali was knocked off balance, falling forwards with a shrill scream. Thank the Powers-That-Be, Kaidan lunged forwards and caught her by the ankle. John was not so lucky as he just barely managed to grab the ledge on the other side of the now destroyed bridge. He held on for dear life, for when he looked down, the excavation pit was surely deep enough to kill him again if he were to release the ledge!

Meanwhile, all this did to the rest of the team was enrage them. Garrus bellowed in fury and rolled forwards, recovering in a kneeling position. He started letting bullets fly from his Incisor to give the Templars something to take cover from.

"Jane, brace yourself!" Wrex called out. Jane looked back to see Wrex preparing a shockwave in her direction. "Use your own biotics, try to ride the wave. Get to the other side and save your brother!" he added as he let loose the biotic shockwave. It struck Jane with surprising force, although Jane did as told and held her balance, using her biotics to boost her forwards. She _only just_managed to land on her feet and fortunately didn't cause John to fall to his second death. As Ashley and Garrus gave the Templars hell, Jane turned around and offered a hand to John, who, needless to say, accepted and was lifted to safety.

"Thanks, sis," he casually said, patting her on the shoulder. He rolled his neck and pulled out his M27 Scimitar, the automatic shotgun. He threw a biotic-lift and yanked a few Templars out of cover and sent them haplessly floating through the air to be picked off by Garrus' sniper rifle. Jane Shepard generated her Tech Armor and threw a biotic warp, disintegrating yet another hostile. It was at this point that John leapt off the bridge and biotic-charged into the Asari Commando who ordered the bridge demolition.

The fight was bloody but brief…

Inside the Director's Office, a lone figure sat isolated at one of the desks, a thick cloth over his eyes. His face was covered in blood and his arms were bound with metal around the chair on which he was sitting. For the first time in days, he had the audacity to smile. "Sounds like somebody noticed that we were in trouble, eh?" he snickered.

A Salarian in camoflage-colored armor stepped out from the shadows and backhanded the human. "I'm aware that somebody's here and fighting off my men you idiot. But none of this had to happen. You could have just told us where the Artifact was and you could have left this place without complication!"

The human looked up and spat in the space between the Salarian's eyes. "No. You've no right to come here, hold innocents hostage and then demand something we found despite a lack of knowledge of if it even **has any significance**!" he replied. "The Alliance will have your head for this!"

"What is the _Alliance_ even _doing_ here in the _first damned place?!_" the Salarian asked, wiping the spit away.

"I'll tell you _that _much. Joint-program. We wanted to show our Salarian allies that we were willing to work together to discover more about each other's pasts. As we speak there are several dozen Salarians on Earth right now, working in excavation sites in Greece, Italy, and Egypt."

"And that explains the human presence here. But how the hell did you find a Piece of Eden?!"

"A Piece of what?"

"Classified. Little silver orb, bunch'a ridges and crevices carved into it… runes of some sort. They glow with a golden light. Ring a bell?"

The human shook his head. "Yeah, I found something like that. I'm not telling you where we keep the objects of interest that we find!"

The Salarian pulled a CQC knife from his boot and pressed it to the human's neck. "You will cooperate or…" he tried to say, before the door behind him opened with a sickening hiss. Time was up.

The barrel of an M77 Paladin was pressed against the back of his head. "Name, faction, purpose for holding this site up?" Kaidan Alenko asked.

The Salarian cursed under his breath and turned, hands in the air, dropping the knife. "Salasi Risolor. Order of the Knights Templar. Finding an artifact uncovered here. I take it you are an Assassin?"

Kaidan shook his head with a smirk. "Nah, but I work with some," he said, pistol-whipping Salasi in the jaw before pushing back for Wrex to grab and restrain. "Father!" he cried as he broke the chains binding his father. He removed the blindfold and helped his father to stand.

"Kaidan is that you?" the much older man asked, holding his head as his eyes adjusted to the light. Kaidan threw his arms around his father upon seeing his father react to the revelation that his own son had come to save him.

"We've come to get you out of here," John Shepard said, stepping up to Kaidan's father. "Commander John Shepard, nice to meet you Mr. Alenko. Your son has been a huge help in my team since our adventures began," he introduced himself with a little laugh.

"Captain Franklin Alenko, Alliance Navy. I'd like to thank you and your friends for coming here to get us. I won't ask about how you found out that we were in our situation… like I can't ask about the whole 'Templar' issue here. Is there anything that you need?"

Jane Shepard looked both ways before speaking. "First of all, knock him out, Wrex," she said, and sure enough, Wrex would proceed to slam the Salarian's head into the wall. Not **too** hard, but enough to swiftly put him to "sleep". Jane cleared her throat before she spoke again. "Also there was mention of an Artifact? We'd like to see it. Don't worry, we have no plans to harm anybody innocent, in fact I'm prepared to pay you for it!"

Captain Alenko narrowed his eyes and looked to his son. "Can I trust these people?" he questioned Kaidan.

Kaidan blinked placidly a few times before giving his father a response. "With your life, father. You can trust them with your life," he affirmed.

At this, Franklin Alenko began pacing, trying to remember the previous location of the Artifact in question. "I was down in the excavation pit out front when we found a small vault. The architecture was remarkably advanced for its age and was similar to ruins found on EARTH. We busted through an active shield by using some tech powers to shatter it, then moved in and recovered an artifact. The first Salarian to touch it… the artifact… the orb glowed, some light burst from it, and the Salarian just dropped _dead_. The medical-examiner stated that his brain had literally 'exploded'. Parts of it were dislodged, other sections seemed to have been effectively overloaded. With such a dangerous device, I had people remove it from the vault by using biotics to lift it and encase it in a safe. Only I have the code, and I didn't put it on my very hackable Omnitool," Franklin rambled on, stopping to rummage through some cabinets containing datapads. He pulled out a Post-It-note with text written in English. Numerals spelled out in word-form. "Here's the safe-combination. The safe itself is downstairs. We covered the door with a desk. It's over there. Take that _thing_ and keep it safe!"

Ashley Williams wandered to the desk and gently pushed it to the side to reveal a primitive, manually opened "trap-door". Lifting it open, she crawled down into the temporary archives, where antique objects of Salarian and… questionable origin lay either covered up, placed in glass tanks, or laid on pedestals. She could have sworn she heard an incessant ringing in her ears that intensified as she neared a metal safe. "Hey guys, I think this is it!" she shouted, lightly kicking the safe.

John Shepard hopped down, followed by Tali and Kaidan. Jane, Garrus, and Wrex stayed upstairs to both call for evac and speak with Franklin Alenko further. John took the combination and used his Omnitool to punch it in. The door swung open suddenly, taking the four by surprise. Inside sat an_orb_. It was made of a tought, silver-colored metal. All across it, crevices and runes were engraved into it, all of which glowed with a dim golden light. Tali was immediately awestruck and reached out to touch it, mesmerized like a deer caught in the headlights.

Immediately her hand was swatted away by Ashley. "You heard Kaidan's dad. Salarian was literally mind-blown by this thing!" she reminded the young Quarian. Meanwhile John had already reached out for it and held it in his hands, even recklessly tossing it up a few inches in the air and catching it like a baseball. Ashley looked back at her Ex and stared at him in disbelief.

"What? Oh, this? Yeah, I'm chalking it up to 'Cerberus Implants keeping me alive'," he chuckled.

"Whatever. Let's just get off of this planet…" Kaidan remarked.

The Shuttle was here. Mission accomplished.

* * *

**Assassin Mission Report: Mission Success**

_Upon traveling to Sur'Kesh we encountered _actual_ Templar forces lead by **Salas Leseon** and **Salasi Risolor**, the latter I believe is closely related to Solon Risolor, an Assassin in the Sur'Kesh chapter. Leseon was one of the first killed when combat started. Kill Confirmed. The Tez'akim Archaeological digsite had been locked in a hostage situation that was, thankfully, ended once we cleared the place of Templar soldiers. Risolor was captured and is en-route to the Sur'Kesh Assassin Bureau for questioning. A _**PIECE OF EDEN**_ was discovered on the site and is **now in our care!** Alliance Navy Captain Franklin Alenko was part of an Alliance joint-program with the Salarians here on Sur'Kesh. His team actually discovered a First-Civilization vault here. This is a shocking new development: the Precursors may have had an interstellar civilization, and it stretches into modern Council-Space. Speaking of the Alenkos, Franklin's son, Kaidan Alenko, is a member of the Ground-Squad here on the Normandy. With his father freed from the Templars and possible Mercenary allies, he is now focused entirely on the mission at hand._

_Credit Loss: 100,000 credits in exchange for the Piece of Eden._

**Cerberus Mission Report: Mission Success**

_Alliance Navy Captain Franklin Alenko has been "rescued" from fellow Templar forces on the planet of Sur'Kesh after a failed attempt to recover an Apple of Eden from the Tez'akim digsite. We are now in possession of the Apple, however John Shepard has declared it "flagged as neutral" for the duration of the mission. Neither Assassin nor Cerberus is permitted to take it from the ship. We are allowed to conduct research, as this Piece of Eden did **not** originate on Earth. Franklin Alenko is Kaidan Alenko's father. Rescuing him has cleared Kaidan's head of any distractions and he is now ready for the Collector Mission._

* * *

**[LOCATION REDACTED], Palaven, 2185**

**(Chapter Epilogue)**

Kairee Antar parked her rented Skycar at the designated meeting place. The journey to Palaven had been rather arduous, and Kairee found herself suffering from mild "jet-lag". With a sigh, she shut the engine off and stepped out. She leaned against the closed door and waited. Seconds ticked by, passing into minutes.

"Ugh… ten minutes late. Figures," she said with a scoff, her mandibles twitching in frustration. As she said this, another Skycar was seen landing close by.

Kairee's eyes widened when she saw who had stepped out of the car. A female Turian draped in white and blue robes that covered her body from neck to ankle. She had bright green Clan-Markings on her forehead, that stretched in an upside-down "U" shape down the sides of her head, stopping at the bottom of her mandibles. Kairee indeed recognized this woman as her mother, impressive seeing as how she'd changed so much in the many years that they'd been separate from each other.

Coracia Antar stood before her daughter, her flesh and blood, with a rather dignified, emotionless stare. Kairee didn't want to start off on the wrong foot via bad question, so she bit her tongue before the question could escape her mouth. Coracia was… not the slimmest of Turians. Kairee wasn't sure if it was stress-eating (loss of husband and disownment of daughter) or lack of exercise. She assumed the latter and that Coracia currently held a non-combative position in the Turian Military. Yeah, that had to be it.

"Mom?" she asked, inching closer ever so slowly.

Coracia's emotionless face actually cracked a smile as she laid eyes on her "ex-daughter". "Kairee."

Kairee let out a little laugh in joy, on the verge of tears. "You wanted to speak with me? Personally?"

Coracia nodded. "Yes, Kairee. I do. It's come to my attention that you've been making a living on killing people," she stated bluntly, "Your kill-count is amazing. Your father would be proud of you… sadly those kills weren't made while in our glorious military…"

Kairee shuffled uncomfortably in place. "Yeeaaahhh… I figured that would get back to you," she mumbled.

"It's fine by me, but I want to talk about **you**. How has life been treating you?" she asked her daughter.

"It's been… amazing! I've made many new friends, learned new talents, done many amazing things and helped a great amount of people less fortunate than I. I've… even found myself a… boyfriend," Kairee replied, blushing at the memory of Alexander.

Coracia's eyes widened in shock. She clasped her hands together and nodded earnestly at Kairee. "Have you now? What's his Clan?"

Kairee's face turned even more blue than it already was as she **froze** in place at the question. "Well… uh, he doesn't have a clan…"

"Bareface? Does he not have a Clan… Or… Oh, Spirits, honey, he's from the Hierarchy? The pure-bloods of Palaven!?" Coracia replied, feeling fairly embarassed for some reason.

"No… neither. He doesn't have markings because… he's a… umm, how do I put this…?"

Coracia lifted a brow at her stuttering daughter. "I'm listening," she replied snidely.

"He's a human," Kairee blurted out, rubbing her hands together anxiously.

Coracia smirked and shook her head, partly from relief, partly from shame. "Ah. I was worried that you went and got a mate already," she commented.

"Mom, I **do** have a 'mate'. Alexander Clarke. He may be human, but he's an amazing person. If you'd just **LET GO** of the past then maybe you could see it!" Kairee spat.

"I apologize if that came out wrong. What I meant to add, was that a _very_ handsome Turian came to me a few days ago and asked for _your_ hand in marriage. To decline would have been insanity. He's **Executor** Orentos _Arion_!" Coracia said.

Kairee's heart skipped a beat. Executor Orentos Arion was allegedly a Templar Grand-Master.

"You _betrothed _me!?" Kairee shouted, shoving her mother back.

"It's for your own good, sweet-heart. His rank will bring you great honor. You will be placed on a tier higher than _mine_ in the Hierarchy. You will have earned your mother's love once more…" Coracia replied, this time her voice sounded much sweeter than earlier.

"I know who he is! You're marrying me off to some man 10, 20 years older than me, who **I don't even KNOW**, when I'm already in a relationship!"

"That human likely has some kind of sick fetish for you, darling. All _normal _humansstick with humans. I'm certain he doesn't truly care about _you_. Executor Arion is 'taken by your beauty. [He] wishes to make you [his]," the older Turian hissed.

"MOTHER!" Kairee boomed. "I'm **DONE** here. Tell Executor Arion that he can drown in a pool of cyanide for all I care, because I am NOT marrying him any time so-WAH!?" she shouted, turning back to her Skycar. As she stepped towards it, she felt herself lurch forwards, letting out a helpless squeak when she felt her feet leave the ground. She was being suspended in the air with biotics of some sort. She looked around frantically to find whoever was holding her against her will. Her search ended quickly as her eyes locked onto an Asari in black and white armor, holding her arm to the sky while the blue mist of biotics swirled around her hand.

"Grand-Master Arion isn't fond of swimming, and cyanide tastes rather bitter to him, besides. Also, you **are** going to marry him. It'll be a great honor, Ms. Antar. 'Mother Knows Best' am I right?" the Asari quipped, violently shaking Kairee around in the air before Coracia nudged her in the arm. "Fine. Just know that your daughter killed my father, and while I'd absolutely _love_ to slowly skin her alive, plate by plate… I'll restrain myself as long as we reach our goal," she growled.

"Who are you, and who is your father!?" Kairee asked, trying to right herself midair. She brought no weapons, expecting a tearful reunion with "dear old mom"… all she could do was float helplessly in the air… it infuriated her.

"Lilis Nyxanni. And my father… you should know him… Tonen Lithos?" the Asari replied. Suddenly it hit Kairee hard like a wrecking ball. Tonen Lithos was the name of a corrupt politician on the Turian colony of Oma Ker. When Kairee was much younger, she was in the Turian Military, deployed on Oma Ker. She had unwittingly participated in the assassination of Tonen Lithos, her first run-in with the Assassin Brotherhood, and turning point of her entire life.

"I… I didn't realize… it was all an accident, I didn't even know that they were planning to kill him!" Kairee apologized. Lilis rolled her eyes and used her biotics to constrict her throat, silencing her.

"Shut the hell up, Antar. You helped them kill my father, and now I won't rest until every assassin in the Galaxy is reduced to a gorey, stringy stain on the sole of my **boot.**"

Coracia tapped Lilis' shoulder. "So, when's the wedding again?"

Lilis smirked victoriously. "Grand-Master Arion said he received an update. We lost something special on Sur'Kesh. If the Assassins are willing to cough it up within three days' time, he'll break the wedding off. If not… say hello to the new Mrs. Orentos Arion."

* * *

_**((I should also note: if anybody wants some minor spoilers about future plans for any Pieces of Eden, or if anybody wants to give me some ideas for what to write, PM me with the subject "Requesting Spoiler" or "Wanting to Help".))**_


	8. Alexander: Operation Moonwell

**MASS EFFECT: CREED**

**Alexander: Operation Moonwell**

**Normandy SR2, 2185**

He could not believe what he was reading. Just one quick run through the Normandy's "Spacebook" chatroom left him in agitating shock.

Kairee Antar, **_his Kairee_**, was being married off to some 40 year old **Templar Grandmaster**. She was only 25! Granted, he was 28, but three years versus 15?! That was the least troublesome detail. Ahem, **TEMPLAR GRANDMASTER**.

Rupert Gardner had been ordered to present Alexander with a bag for when the trauma of this bombshell struck him in the gut. Needless to say, he indeed needed the bag when he was done processing the severity of the situation.

"Guh… thanks, Rupert…" the Assassin said, handing the bag to Mr. Gardner to dispose of. He took the bag with mild apprehension and sauntered off. A reassuring hand patted Alexander's shoulder. He looked up to see that it was Crewman Goldstein.

"Hey, I know for a fact that she's not there because of her own free will. I'll put in a good word for you with the Commander," she said. Alexander nodded weakly and resumed the chat-conversation.

After an angry exchange with Jack, Garrus had offered to provide some helpful hints about this little incident. With a sickened "limp", Alexander wandered to the Main Battery where Garrus was. He had just finished inputting a corrective algorithm for the Main Gun. The Turian ex-vigilante turned as the door opened, and he smiled as best a Turian could.

"Alexander, I see you took my offer for help," he said, gesturing to a place for the Assassin to sit.

"Look, what is it that you need to say?" Alexander asked petulantly, taking a seat at the suggested spot.

"Well, your girlfriend's off getting married to an Executor in the Hierarchy… I figured I should fill you in on the topic of Turian Marriage ceremonies…"

Alexander lifted up an eyebrow, suddenly intrigued. "Tell me the best places to jump from so I can peel Orentos Arion's mandibles from his head," he growled.

Garrus raised his hands in false surrender, "Hey, now, let's not issue threats that we can't immediately make a reality," he chuckled, his sub-harmonics signalling humor. "What should I start with?"

Alexander looked both ways a couple of times before speaking. "Start with the ceremony. What does it look like? What happens?"

Garrus thought, searching for the right words to say to put this delicately. "Well. The best Turian Weddings take place in the Grand Temple of PalAvos, the Spirit of the Homeworld. It's this _massive_ cathedral in Cipritine, the capital of the entire Turian species."

"I know about Cipritine, Garrus," said Alexander, who leaned back and crossed his arms, like an ignorant teenager would.

Garrus cleared his throat into a balled fist before resuming his elucidation of Turian Weddings. "Alright, then…"

"Continue?"

"Right. So when two Turians, can be different-sex or same-sex marriage, go to be wed at the Temple of Palavos, the Ceremony is held at night, when the light of the two moons of Palaven shines through a hole in the ceiling. It pours through like a massive column of silver light, the light passes through a large quartz crystal carved into the shape of Palavos. When Palavos lights up, the high priest begins his speech. He gives a brief monologue in the honor of the Spirits. The basics: The traditional reason for marriage, the responsibilities that the newlyweds must take on, and their future as a family. The priest then finishes by ordering the exchange of vows from the two being wed, and then inquires if anybody objects. If nobody objects within… I'd say, five seconds? Yes, five seconds, then the priest consummates the marriage and presents the two with bowls of facepaint for the groom to paint upon the bride's face, her face stripped of her original clan-markings the previous night."

The young human sat and listened, stopping Garrus just as he paused to breath. "What happens if they're a same-sex couple?" he asked. The question was irrelevant, but it caught his curiosity.

"That all is worked out the night before. If neither can really decide, then it boils down to a game of chance: traditionally is was a roll of dice-like pendulums, today there are Omnitool apps for games of chance," said Garrus, who turned back around to continue calibrating. He still spoke while he did this, however. Garrus is Garrus after all. "Anyways, once the markings are on the bride's face, the priest takes away the paint bowls and returns with this chalice containing Spirit Water, taken from the pool in which the Palavos statue is surrounded by. After a little 'blessing' from the priest, really just a powdered, slow-acting aphrodisiac for… obvious purposes…"

"Hold on, back the f*** up, 'aphrodisiac'?!"

Again, Garrus found himself clearing his throat. "Well, yes. The traditional reason for marriage was to raise a family and contribute to the Hierarchy. The drug just facilitates that in Heterosexual couples. This is overlooked for same-sex couples, obviously, since they can't procreate if they aren't Asari, and even then that'd be females only," he replied, grunting awkwardly and pausing for a brief moment to recollect his thoughts. "Once that's all taken care of, the Bride and Groom host the reception party, in which preparatory gifts are given by the invited guests, and the priest him/herself."

"How is it that you know all of this, exactly?"

"It's not hard to figure out when you get dragged to military galas and wedding ceremonies for your father's co-workers…"

That answered that. Alexander stood up and shook Garrus' hand in gratitude. "Thank you. I take it we're springing Kairee out of Cipritine?" he said, smirking.

Garrus' mandibles twitched as his mouth parted. "Excuse me? Attacking the Temple of Palavos, at night, in Cipritine, with dozens of highly trained Turian troops positioned to protect an Hierarchy _Executor_ who's backed by the Templars, one of the most fearsome shadow-organizations to grace this galaxy according to you?"

Alexander laughed and slapped Garrus' shoulder. "Why not? You've been through worse, and I've been through worse! Besides, the Templars have pretty much decayed to a crime-ring at this point. We've got the Shepards to thank for that"

The Turian narrowed his eyes as he glared at Alexander carefully, "Touché…"

"Shall I notify the Commander?" EDI's voice reverberated throughout the room.

Alexander looked up to the ceiling, replying, "Sure, and tell Joker to set a course for Palaven!"

After EDI registered the command, the door to the Main Battery opened, and Alexander stepped through. He waved farewell to Garrus and began trotting down the hallway, en route to the elevator. As he passed Rupert's mini-kitchen, a few Crewmen gave him a friendly salute, which he returned, smirking slyly.

The briefing room was terribly quiet, and all eyes were on Alexander as he spun in his chair nonchalantly, waiting for EDI to declare that they could disembark.

"Alright, first of all," Garrus Vakarian said, breaking the silence, "Palaven's magnetic field is not as strong as the other homeworlds, mind you."

"He's right," Jacob Taylor interjected, slapping his hand down on the table, "so unless you all are looking to become roast turkeys, I suggest that you follow whatever directions that Spaceport Security gives you. Likely the first thing they'll tell you: 'Get a suit on'!"

"Hey, Cerberus Jackass, not all of us plan to visit the f***in' Jurassic Park. I'd rather stay here and watch Joker play his damn horror games. I could use a laugh," Jack taunted from the back of the room, chewing a stick of gum gifted to her by Dr. Chakwas.

"Nah, I'm not playing any games, at least not for now. You can't fly to the Turian Homeworld with a bigass Cerberus Insigna plastered to your ship and expect to _not_ get thoroughly searched by Customs," Joker chuckled, flipping a virtual page on his datapad.

"Another thing. Play it cool…" Kelly Chambers whispered, sliding a tray of datapads into the center of the table. "These are fake IDs, credit chits for shore leave, and Shore Leave manuals for operations on Alien colonies, which you've already been using since Illium and Sanves," she added.

Ashley Williams picked up a pad with her name on it. "Seriously? Rebecca Burgowitz?" she snidely inquired, crossing her arms at the Yeoman.

Kaidan Alenko snickered, doubling over and covering his mouth before reaching for his own datapad. "Oh my Lord, I dodged a bullet!" he laughed as he displayed his name for the crew to see.

Jacob squinted and read the name aloud, "Jonathan Kennedy?"

From his place in the room, Joker could be heard making a stupid "giggling" noise, "Huh-huh-huh, have fun dodging _that_ bullet, JFK!" he quipped.

"I'll roll the dice. Who am I, today?" Frederico Corado asked, snatching his datapad from Kelly's hands. He smiled wide and flashed his fake ID. "Gonzaaallooooooooo," he said, a slight purring effect in his voice.

Eventually, the curiosity ate at him until he could bear it not a second longer. "What's my name?" Alexander asked, and he received. He caught the datapad midair as it was thrown to him. He read the name out loud for the crew to hear. "So. Today my name is… gee, how original you guys, _Desmond Kenway_," he commented, tossing his datapad aside. Indeed, pulling names from Brotherhood history wasn't exactly creative. Why did all the novices get the cool names?

"Alright. Fake Names aside. Mr. Clarke, since Grandmaster Arion has struck a personal nerve, you're obviously disembarking to handle this mission. Who is to go with you?" Miranda Lawson asked, eyes darting about the room, eyeing the potential squad. She patiently awaited Alexander's response. Alex himself rose and placed both hands on the tables, his eyes narrowed, almost as if he were assessing the Ground Squad psychically.

"Miss Goto, you're a master of thievery and stealth. You will be an invaluable asset to this undertaking," he said finally, and suddenly all eyes were on the bubbly, Japanese-Human Thief.

She bowed in deference, "Aye, Sensei!" came her reply.

Alexander resumed his eerie examination, "Mr. Vakarian, your knowledge of Turian Culture might help the team get by in case somebody, namely myself, screws up. Basically, Damage Control until we get to the Temple, at that point you're our sniper," he said. Garrus' mandibles gave a little twitch of approval as he and Kasumi stepped over to each side of Alexander. "I will take a third squadmate… Eleria, you game?" he inquired, and the Asari sentinel's eyes lit up.

"Anything to prove myself, sir!" she said, delighted.

"Oh sh**, guys I just thought of something!" cried a voice from within the crowd. It likely belonged to Jacob...

John Shepard sighed, wiping his face with an open hand. "Customs finding the Apple of Eden? I hid it in the Animus Chamber, under Miranda's office, so no worries," said the Twice-Lived Spectre. The Apple was, in fact, placed upon a cushion, which in turn was atop one of the desks inside the Animus Chamber, just passively glowing…

* * *

**Cipritine, Palaven, 2185**

With that squared away, EDI confirmed that the Normandy was preparing to enter Palaven's atmosphere. While that took no time at all, once the ship was docked it was a whole different story as armed Turians in blue armor stormed the ship, guns lifted. It definitely escalated quickly. "Hands in the air, all of you! Cerberus!" their officer shouted. Frederico Corado contemplated retaliation, but his hands were sky-high as soon as a laser dotted his forehead.

Not wanting to start pure hell, the Galaxy's most badass warfighters bent to the demands of mere Spaceport Security guards. Very becoming of them, even Grunt dropped his shotgun, albeit at the urging of Jane Shepard.

"I'm just going to pray that they don't recognize me and tell the Alliance," Ashley Williams muttered. Immediately as she said this, a targeting laser moved across her throat.

"I want to speak to the Captain of this vessel, effective immediately!" barked the Officer.

"Right here, buddy," John Shepard snarled, putting his hands down and stepping forwards, "I'm Commander Shepard and this is my ship. Note, I am a Council Spectre, the first Human Spectre, savior of the Citadel. I doubt that Councilor Jorus would appreciate my crew and I being gunned down by the likes of yourself," he boasted. To his delight, the Turian swallowed nervously and let his assault rifle slip from his fingers.

"M-my apologies, Spectre Shepard. The C-Cerberus uniforms here, and the ship's insignia…"

John had to adapt on the fly for this one. He straightened his posture and stood at attention. "Undercover operation. That's all I can tell you."

"Yes, yes. Let's get you situated, please, follow us and we'll direct you to the non-Turian visitor's dressing room," the Officer replied, kneeling and retrieving his rifle before signalling for his team to relent, which they quickly did, for they knew what was good for them!

With that out of the way, the rest of the disembarkation went smoothly, besides a little angst and anxiety on Alexander's part. The entire ground-squad was ushered off of the ship, leaving the non-combative crew behind to show Customs around the ship. Just about everyone had donned an unarmored, unshielded exosuit that strikingly resembled a Quarian's envirosuit, in fact the only ones left out were Garrus, the Turian, Tali, she who already had an envirosuit, Wrex and Grunt (the Krogan), and Lora Ban, whose exosuit provided every line of defense against conditions uninhabitable for her species.

"You got any other colors for these?" questioned Jane.

"You can have them in any color you want so long as it's black," the Security Officer jibed. Truth was that all exosuits for Non-Turian exploration of Palaven were black, with clear, transparent visors. Jane merely frowned disappointedly and went on her way, joining the rest of the crew in a single-file line as they moved through the "metal-detectors". John Shepard was the last one through, and as he stepped through the gate, it went haywire, sirens blaring, red lights flashing.

"Please remove all weapons and metal items from your person, sir," called a Turian security-worker as he pressed a key on his computer to silence the alarms as John stepped back through, and dug around in every one of the exosuit's pockets.

"I literally have no items with me at all, no weapons," John muttered.

"Must have been a glitch. Try again?"

John stepped up to the gate, and put a hand through. Sure enough, he tripped the alarm. All eyes strayed to Miranda, overseer of the Lazarus Project which reconstructed Shepard with **cybernetics**. The XO nervously stepped back upon receiving a cold, collectively intense glare from Ashley, Kaidan, Jane, and John.

"Sir, he's got, um… he sustained some injuries, and so he was given some tech in his body to help him heal, make him stronger. Can we overlook that?" Tali'Zorah pleaded, and the security worker relented, pressing another key to silence the alarm while John passed through. "Thank you," Tali added.

John snickered at Miranda, "So I apparently set alarms off with my body. Any other surprises?" he joked, and Miranda slugged him on the shoulder.

"Shut up. It wasn't my fault that you got implants like that. I just watched over the process and gave orders, wasn't like I had the Supply Charts with me 24/7."

The Squad's weapons had all been confiscated prior to their exiting Customs. When John tried to protest on the grounds that "he was a Spectre", he was questioned as to why he'd need weapons in _Cipritine_ besides a contract to off some rogue agent or terrorist. Shepard gave up trying and followed after the crew which had surrendered any attempts to smuggle a gun past the detectors and Customs. Much to his chagrin, Alexander smirked behind his visor and flicked his wrists, two slender blades popping out. He flicked them again and they withdrew, back into his wrist armor. That sneaky little…

They all elected to settle down in the Spaceport "hotel" to prepare for action, or shore leave, depending on who was going on the mission and who wasn't. It was quite a spectacular sight for those who don't spend much time in airports or spaceports, because lining the walls for several stories up, _were the balconies of the hotel rooms_. And from one of those balconies, Jack stood, leaning on the rail as she took in the view below.

"So, Grunt, you think I can nail one of them down there?" she asked, building up spittle in her mouth for the epitome of immature pranks.

The towering Tank-Bred Krogan ambled towards her, chuckling in the way that only he could. "Hyeeeh, hyeeeh, hyeeeh… I'd love to see the reaction from whoever you hit. Since I'm not allowed to tear into these _Turians_, I'll settle for making them suffer," he muttered, looking over the railing.

"So, we're sharing a ****ing hotel room, why?" Jack inquired after releasing the spittle. It splashed down upon a Turian in blue and yellow clothing. He panicked and shouted at anybody around him, wondering what just happened.

Grunt merely shrugged indifferently. "Perhaps it is because you're the only person on the _Normandy _besides the Shepards and Wrex that I don't want dead just yet?"

Jack sniggered and punched his shoulder. "You're alright, you know that?"

From the room adjacent to theirs, Alexander Clarke was perched on the railing, eavesdropping on the conversation with a newly acquired Eagle Sense. To him, everything was black. Jack and Grunt were highlighted with a sort of blue phosphorescence, and it seemed as if every sound in the world was filtered out in favor of their little talk. It was foreign to him, yet so familiar. The Bleeding Effect was creeping up on him, and for once in his life, he was afraid of himself. When would he begin the night terrors? Would his personality mutate? Who would he become, and what would be amount to? The Animus was becoming like a drug. It offered an escape, and was beginning to give him power, but at what price?

He shoved these thoughts aside for now, opting instead to focus on why he was here. Get Kairee, kick Orentos' ass, and worry about the Bleeding Effect later.

His room was shared with Kasumi and Eleria for the time being, and they were actually inside, sitting on the bed, talking about Japanese culture. Eleria was fascinated by the Feudal Era of Japan. The Samurai reminded her greatly of the Justicar Order. As they searched through images of Samurai weaponry, armor, and Bushido Poems, Alexander turned and faced the next balcony over, still perched on top of the rail like a bird.

Tali'Zorah looked over and nodded at Alexander. John Shepard was behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist, her back pressed against his torso as they gazed over the balcony, watching the civilians pass by as they rushed to reach their flights.

"Not to interrupt this adorable moment between you two, but John, are you going to do anything while I'm leading my team?" the Assassin queried.

Shepard rotated his head so that he would face the unusually positioned Assassin while he spoke. "For once, I believe I'm going to take some time off. I want to go tour Cipritine with Tali, if that's fine by you," he said with a sigh, tightening his hold on the youthful Quarian woman.

Alex looked down over the ledge, Eagle Sense still dominating his vision. "Yeah. You deserve the break, besides, this is a personal matter. I want you to know, Shepard, that I was focused from the start, loyal to this cause from the moment we really put our team together. Your not being at the Temple won't hurt what we have. I just have to thank you for approving this assignment!"

John chortled and smiled. He didn't smile much, and it felt good. "No problem at all. I care about my friends."

Indeed he did. He helped damn near everybody brighten their lives, even if it stalled the mission. He was risking so much by taking the time to support his crew, and they weren't just a crew, they were family, and they've only known each other for about a month. Yeah, he felt confident that this was going to go well. Though, there was only one way to be sure, and Alexander had one shot at it.

As the sunset began to dominate the skies of Palaven, Alexander rallied his team for a final meeting before they carried out their heist.

"So, here's the plan. Garrus, show us the building map?"

Garrus waved his omnitool and displayed a holographic image of the Grand Temple of Palavos' layout. "Alright. The little dome up here is the Moonwell, in which the collective light of the twin moons pours in and lights the Palavos statue up. This is a fantastic entry-point if we end up too late and have to resort to Plan B: Crash the Wedding as it happens. Plan A is to find Kairee's chambers and bust her out. No doubt she'll be under watch, nothing we haven't handled before. Kasumi, that's where you come in."

The thief raised an eyebrow at this, curious to hear what was in store for her. "Alright, I'll do whatever you ask of me, but I'm _definitely_ borrowing something from the Temple if it's **that** magnificent," she replied, smiling giddily.

"Granted. I need you to discover her location without getting caught. No doubt she'll try to bust herself out if she gets the chance, so help out with that, and report back to the _Normandy_ as soon as you can. We have one chance, one chance only. Once they know we're looking for a fight, if we screw this up, we're all dead," Vakarian continued, looking both ways out of anxiety.

"Great. Since night is quickly approaching, no doubt they'll try to get in some rehearsal before the actual ceremony. I'll eavesdrop on that, or maybe try to get Arion alone so I can kick his plated ass myself," Alexander sneered, cracking his knuckles into his open palm.

"What are we going to do?" asked Eleria, feeling left out.

"Alright. Recap. Garrus will get us within a good enough range to sneak off and do our tasks, later on he'll help pick off the rooftop guards from the surrounding brush area. Eleria, I need you to help me clear the premises of Templar forces while I scale up to the Moonwell dome to climb inside the Temple. Kill them silently, with your blade," answered Alex, flicking his wrist to demonstrate the use of the hidden blade. "Now, if we're done strategizing I'd like to go storm the castle now?"

And with that, we're off!

* * *

**Temple of Palavos, Palaven 2185**

A heist to steal a person out of a religious temple on the Homeworld of a species with the greatest military to grace the galaxy. To say that this was insanity would be, simply put, a glorious understatement, but come to think of it, nothing an Assassin did was ever "sane", strictly speaking. And when an Assassin is angered, he or she is an unstoppable force… that's why they brought in the Krogan.

So our heroes marched, on foot, to the Grand Temple of Palovos, making certain that they steered clear of any night watchmen. The Temple was revealed to be the centerpiece of a forested park, so that it may "be close to the spirits". However, this allowed the group to move like spirits: quickly, undetected, and with much fluid motion. In no time at all, they had reached the Temple grounds, though, they had ducked back behind the trees to assess hostile positioning. Garrus attached a silencing barrel to the end of his M92 Mantis (which was purchased **_while in Cipritine, seeing as how the Spaceport took his Incisor!_**) and sat down in the brush, signalling Alexander, Eleria, and Kasumi to move out.

Just as they were prepared to move, Garrus rescinded his signal, "Wait one moment… EDI?"

"Yes, Mr. Vakarian? How may I be of assistance?" the synthetic voice called via the squad's comms.

"Monitor the others for me, will you? Also, try to contact Shepard. We're setting up an 'Eagle-Eye' system of sorts. Call the shots from afar," he replied, tapping the side of his visor. As he spoke with EDI, he allowed the others to continue on…

Kasumi dashed to a dark corner of the building and crouched down, lifting a hand to signal for the others to wait. She activated her tactical cloak, fading from view entirely. She then did the unthinkable. She beat her hand against the side of the building, getting the attention of a Turian male in silver and gold colored armor. His head lacked a helmet, and his neck had virtually no protection besides his carapace. As he turned the corner, Kasumi whirled behind him, stamping her foot into the back of his knee, forcing him into a knelt position before turning again and grasping the top and bottom of his head, before twisting it, breaking his neck silently.

She snickered and waved for the others to keep moving. Alexander, anxious for some action, was predictably the first to charge forwards. He lacked his _actual_ armor, and was stuck with the exosuit for the time being, but that did not hamper his freerunning ability any, for he lunged upwards, using whatever hand and footholds he could find to scale the side of the Temple. Just as he was about to make a faulty move and finish the climb _just_ as a Sniper was making his rounds, the body of said sniper passed Alexander as he ascended, having been downed by Garrus. "Scoped and dropped. Thank me later," he teased.

Rolling onto the rooftop, Alexander flicked a hidden blade out and rushed another sniper, ramming his open palm into his carapace, picking him up momentarily and releasing him in what would have been a slam, had there been ground to slam him upon. Instead, the body slipped off of the blade and plunged to the ground below, making a muffled **thud** as it impacted. Eleria made her way up as this happened, nodding her head at Alex before going off to deal with more rooftop patrolmen.

"Get up to the Moonwell, Alex, what's going on inside? Can you enter the Temple that way?" John Shepard's voice called. Looks like Garrus got the link set up. Following the command, the Assassin began his ascent up the dome.

Meanwhile, Eleria's performance was quite impressive. Clean kills on two patrolmen, both without the use of the hidden blade. The second one, she had gotten attention from, although he was silenced before he could contact anybody, thankfully. To signal success, she flung a biotic warp into the air, which dissipated quietly, and, by the power of a miracle, had not alerted one being to her presence.

"Rooftop guard forces eliminated. Kasumi, make your way to the Post-Reception chambers. They're on the third floor, north wing, overlooking the pond. You should be able to get in via the balcony," Garrus chimed in upon seeing the signal "flare".

The human thief smiled in delight, and climbed the temple in the same way the two Assassins had. She was cloaked, and wasn't in a hurry, so she simply strolled over to the North Wing, a sort of calmness in her walk. She took a seat on the ledge, over the balcony, and crossed her legs in the Lotus Position, awaiting an update.

Atop the Moonwell, Alexander had been able to peer inside. He could clearly make out a few figures on the floor below him, and after a minute of focusing, he opened his eyes, and everything was dark, and misty, as it could only be when using what the Animus gave him. The Bleeding Effect was quite pronounced with him, seeing as how he picked up the ability in record-shattering time.

"Alright, alright, we're going to rehearse this one last time before we take a break to set the _official_ ceremony up. Damn journalists are going to be here in two hours so let's make this quick!" cried a voice down below. Her subharmonics, added to the high ceilings and Alexander's Eagle Sense, made for a ridiculous echo that allowed Alex to hear the majority of the sentences at least twice before the sound faded away.

Two Turians, one male, and one female, stepped back up to the altar, hand in hand. Needing a better look, Alexander dropped down, grasping the ledge as he moved down the Dome, cautiously descending to a level where, while he was still hidden from the eyes of the enemy, he could distinctly make out who was who in this gathering. It was a rehearsal for the ceremony. Something about that chipped at his very being.

Cue the priest, who laid out a _scroll, _yes, a _scroll,_ out on the altar to read aloud.

"Citizens, we are gathered here, in our Grand Temple, to bear witness to the union of two of our own, the union of two spirits, as we consummate their wedding!" the priest called aloud, sending the echos throughout the temple.

"Shepard, anybody, you seeing this?" Alexander whispered as quietly as he could.

The priest continued. "Here with us today is our esteemed Executor, Orentos Arion, fifth in line for the Primacy of Palaven," he paused briefly, and looked over at Kairee, who was doing her best to maintain a Poker Face, "And Miss Kairee Antar, daughter of Specialist Coracia Antar and the late Adrius Antar."

Alex bowed his head in agony as her name was spoken.

"Countless Millenia ago, when our world was given Order, the Spirits were Assigned, and Turian civilization dawned, marking the very beginning of our legacy, the rite of matrimony was developed between man and woman, so that they may love each other, defend each other, cherish each other, together, and only together for as long as they both shall live," cried the Priest. This was seeeriiously reminding Alexander of those Baptist preachers back on Eden Prime where he grew up. They got loud, put emphasis on their words, and poured emotion into simple speech. Personally he found it obnoxious at times that they seemed to embrace the stereotype (the bap-TIST, preacher-errrs accent…), but he respected their enthusiasm.

"Executor Arion, I ask you: do you swear on your title, your honor, your life, to uphold the tenets of Matrimony, in the name of Palavos, spirit of the Homeworld? To take Kairee Antar as your beloved bride, to have and to hold, in endurance of whatever life struggles you may face?" the priest then asked. Arion gave a throaty chuckle…

"Of course. I swear on my title, my honor, my life, in the name of Palavos himself!" he exclaimed.

The Priest then turned to Kairee and repeated the same lines again, replacing Arion's name with her's, of course. And it was only now that Alexander really got a good look at her. Disregarding the fact that she was rehearsing for a marriage that was not to Alexander, he had to admit that she looked almost… divine. She wore a long, white velvet wedding dress with a golden-dyed filigree at the shoulders, and lower back. She wore a white cloak, that seemed to be made from the fur of a Thessia-Native organism of some sort. And for a moment before Kairee would make her reply, Alexander found himself awestruck. To feel this way for a being who wasn't even human, yet so similar at the same time, felt like magic to him, because he loved her for who she was, not what she was. He silently vowed that Arion wouldn't make it out of this Temple alive, and as tempting as it was to leap down and end it now, he knew that the Hierarchy would be all over him.

Kairee looked down at her feet, and then into Orentos' eyes. "I s-swear on my title, my h-honor, my life, in the name of P-Palavos…" she said, somewhat hushed. She was biding her time for an escape plan that she intended to put into action within the two hours she had left to try it. Though in her mind, she silently prayed that anybody on the _Normandy_ heard about what happened to her, and that they'd send an evac team her way.

The priest grinned in delight. "And then I bring out the paint, you draw the pattern, I bring out the Sacred Waters, and the ceremony ends!" he said, clapping his hands together.

Alexander scanned his surroundings… he spotted something peculiar in the rows of seats around the altar and statue. There were **two KROGAN and an Asari** sitting in the pews, decked out in silver and gold armor. "Garz and Skarn… I'll be damned…" Alexander whispered as he watched the Krogan and Asari leave their seats and follow everyone else out of the chapel-section of the Temple. Orentos stopped to speak with Garz, Skarn, and Coracia Antar, leaving Lilis Nyxanni to take Kairee to her "Chamber". Alexander growled lowly before signalling Kasumi, "Kairee is on the move. The Plot thickened however: She's guarded by an Asari, likely Templar, given the armor's coloration and association with Templar Vindicators Garz and Skarn," he spoke.

"Aye, Sensei!" came the reply. With that, Alexander began climbing up the inside of the dome and out of the Moonwell, sliding down and striking the roof, slowed only by his Hookblade doing a number on the Temple's wall.

Kairee (soon-to-be) Arion stepped into the Post-Reception chambers, followed by Lilis. As soon as the door shut, Lilis' stoic gaze was replaced by a sadistic, angry glare.

"I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. We haven't received an artifact, or even so much as a reply. Face it, none of them miss you!" she hissed. Kairee just remained silent as she was verbally abused, formulating an escape plan, based on what she saw while being walked here. "Orentos told me when he hired me, that you're just an expendable. Once they get done on the other side of the Omega-4, dead or alive, the mission will be completed, and we'll have no use for you anymore. Thanks to the stubborn jackassery of your colleagues, we'll have no other choice but to let me pry you apart, since we don't have an Artifact," Lilis continued, venom seeping through her words, lingering in the room. She smirked devilishly and walked out of the room. "Here's a gesture you might recognize from your fling with the human," she added, thrusting a middle finger into the air at Kairee. The door slammed shut with a hiss as she was left alone in the windowless room, so no escaping that way.

With a huff, Kairee took a seat on the bed, looking around the room for makeshift weaponry. Oddly enough, she felt the weight of somebody on the bed next to her…

"If it makes you feel any better, I have that entire diatribe recorded," said a voice from besides her. Her heart leapt as she recognized the lively tone with the Japanese accent.

"Kasumi?!" she whispered, shocked. Kasumi uncloaked to show that she was indeed there. "How did you get in here!?" Kairee asked, pointing out the stark lack of windows or ducts.

Kasumi walked over to the wall and brought out her omnitool, entering in a few codes. The wall split and revealed the door to the balcony. "It confused me too, when I looked through the glass and saw a face-full of wall. Buuuut I figured it out," she giggled.

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Kairee exclaimed impatiently, mindful to keep using a hushed voice. Kasumi was just about to unlock the balcony door when she remembered to ping Alexander for the signal. She opened communications with Alexander through the comms channel EDI set up.

"Alex, I've got Kairee, and recorded that Asari's verbal attack on her. We're heading out. I repeat we're leaving the Temple now, Sensei!" she announced.

"Go ahead, but I'm staying behind," growled "Sensei".

"I'm sorry, what?"

Alex grunted indignantly, "My sincerest apologies, but Arion's as good as dead. I have a chance and I'm damn sure going to take it. I won't leave until the Grandmaster bleeds out!"

Kasumi slapped a hand to the visor of her hooded exosuit. "That stupid idiot's taking the unnecessary revenge-path!"

Kairee frowned and narrowed her eyes, "Hey!" she whispered, slapping Kasumi's shoulder, "…he may be a bit of an idiot sometimes, but he's _my_ idiot!"

Kasumi rolled her eyes with a loving smile, "Men… so, should we go get him?"

"Probably, before he burns the Temple down in a fit of rage," the now freed bride-to-be jested, rolling her eyes. "First, watch this. Grab that pillow on the bed and standby!"

Kasumi did as told, walking to the bedside, glancing curiously at the strangely shaped pillow before picking the surprisingly heavy object up. "What is this made of, clay?"

"Actually, yes, in a way. Synthetic material made to conform to the user's fringe-length, sharpness, and angle, without making permanent marks or getting caught in the gaps between fringes," Kairee explained, before smirking and doubling over in false pain. "AGH! Somebody help me!" she cried. Kasumi blinked in shock before she turned on her tactical cloak. She was really hamming it up over there… Almost without delay, two Templars burst into the room packing M77 Paladins. They entered in single-file, which Kairee used to her advantage, catching the Turian in back by surprise as she rammed his head into the wall, grabbing his gun and rushing the other, who barely had time to fire as she pistol-whipped him across the face, snapping a mandible.

"Pillow, now," she ordered, and Kasumi promptly tossed her the object in question. Kairee placed it over the head of the unconscious Templar and pointed the barrel of the gun in the center of the pillow, pulling the trigger. The sound of the gunshot was drastically reduced by this makeshift silencer. She rinsed and repeated with the other Templar. "Kasumi, take the other's gun, and let's get out of here!" she told her savior, running out the door with the Paladin in her hand.

Meanwhile, Alexander was busy finding an alternate route back into the temple. He was moving along the many windows and walls, trying to peer inside the stained glass made ornate with icons of Phaeston, Spirit of Creation, Lumiross, Spirit of Light, and Auditas, Spirit of Music. To break one of these windows would surely draw attention, so he bides his time and explores the exterior until he discovers a clear window.

He is stopped as a voice calls through the comms. It belonged to John Shepard. "Alexander, I got the status report. Mission accomplished, get out of there, now! EDI's hooked us up to some security cameras and it looks like the guests are en route!" he warned.

EDI spoke to confirm the warning, "That is correct. If they were to travel here non-stop at their constant speed, they will arrive in T-Minus 30 minutes. We had two hours to accomplish this mission, took thirty minutes to break in and retrieve Miss Antar before she became Mrs. Arion," she said, a synthetic chuckle accompanying that last section of the reminder, "However, it appears that we were incorrect in our limit of two hours. Traffic has cleared considerably. Fate does not smile upon us, it would seem."

"It's over for you guys, but as long as a Templar Grandmaster lives, I'm not leaving!" Alexander growled into his comms.

"Clarke! You are underequipped, under-armored, and risking turning this into a live firefight!" Shepard barked.

"Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine!" Alexander replied, taking a long, sideways jump from one window-sill to another. This time, it was a clear, obelisk shaped window, perfect for Dark-Age archers and crossbowmen, which Alexander assumed the Turians had way before they even discovered guns. He didn't study Pre-Space-Stage cultures, but understood that Humanity likely had yet to build _SUMER_ or the _INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS_ during that time-period.

That aside, Alexander acquired his footing on the ledge and shimmied through the window, chuckling at how easy it was: It was built so that those with carapaces couldn't hop in (Imagine what kind of hell it must be for the Turians to climb into _Human_ castles, knowing this). Veering his head both ways, he found that not a single guard was posted in this hallway, however, Eagle Sense would tell him otherwise. A red, phosphorescent trail showed Alex the patrol route, and a gold path showed him just where Orentos Arion had been travelling. Following this trail led him deeper into hostile territory. Alexander inhaled and raised a Biotic Barrier over his body to defend from projectiles in case they knew he was here.

To his surprise, Orentos had returned to the altar, standing at the front of the table, hands behind his back, smiling faux-benevolently at the door as he waited for his guests to arrive. Nobody else seemed to be in the room. Now was his chance. Without a sound, Alexander sprang from the shadows in a sprinter's dash towards the Templar Grandmaster. Suspiciously, his eyes flickered to Alexander and his smirk grew, bringing a terrifying thought to mind. Sadly he had no time to process this thought as a _TITANIC_ force wrecked Alexander from the left side mid-sprint, sending him tumbling like a ragdoll into the pew to his right.

"Son of a B..." Alexander attempted to curse, only to be picked up with the use of biotics, and flung like a rock from a sling, crashing onto the ground in front of Orentos, who had yet to move an inch from his spot, taking glee in this failed effort to kill him. Alexander's helmet was smashed, and slipped off to reveal his black, wavy hair as he lifted his head up, miraculously conscious. His exosuit, training in failed Leaps-Of-Faith, and barrier prevented _serious_ damage, but he was going to be coated generously in bruises and markings by the time he woke up in the morning, assuming he survived this ordeal. He wiggled his arms and legs to check for broken bones and found none, but each movement hurt like they were dislocated.

A "tsk tsk" was heard from behind. Alexander tried to get up to see who it was, when the source of the voice slammed her boot down on Alexander's chest, almost shattering his biotic barrier. "Idiot. I was wrong about you Pyjak-****ers not noticing the missing Turian. Ah well, you're still an absolute dumbass for coming after the Grandmaster. How would you like to die? Flayed with biotics? Exploding head? Being drawn and quartered by each limb?" an Asari sneered.

The source of the collision, a colossal Krogan Warrior in Silver and Gold armor stepped to the right side of Alexander as he lay under the Asari's boot. Another, much shorter Krogan approached to the left.

The taller Krogan removed his shotgun from his back and slipped a thermal clip into it, aiming it like a pistol at the desperate Assassin's head.

"Sic Semper, Tyrannus, right?" Orentos proclaimed, arms in the air in a grandiose gesture as he sauntered over to Alex. "Some kind of 'Latin'? It means, 'thus always, to tyrants'!" he said, stating the obvious.

"Which is why I'm here!" Alexander spat in defiance, earning a kick in the hip from the taller Krogan.

"Garz, knock it the hell off!" the shorter Krogan pleaded, waving a hand from Garz to Alex. "He's already down, with Lilis' foot on his sternum. Let Grandmaster finish his monologue!"

Alexander looked up at the shorter Krogan and blinked in confusion. A Krogan seriously just asked another Krogan to have mercy on a "squishy human"? He chalked it up to Oxygen Deprivation or radiation getting to his now helmet-less head.

"Thank you, Skarn. You Assassins think you know it all. You seek to undo what the Order has done. I've heard the stories. Desmond set in motion the 'reckoning' of your pitiful Brotherhood, and it regained the upper hand. Sad tragedy isn't it? That a controlled, peaceful world had to be ruined by a band of misfit radicals," Orentos sighed.

"Idiot. They sugar-coated those stories! Earth was anything _but_ peaceful in that era!" exclaimed Alex, who tried to throw his hands in the air as a gesture that said "I give up trying with this fool".

"Yes, but from that chaos, they would have ushered in Order. Juno was free, she was on our side in the matter! We were *this* close to having our World Order, to hell with whoever was in charge so long as we obtained the goal!" Lilis Nyxanni cried, stamping Alex's chest again, this time breaking his barrier and knocking the wind out of the poor human, she smiled as he shuddered in pain.

It was at that moment that the cavalry arrived. The rest of the gang, upon discussing the situation regarding Alexander's stubbornness, went with a "**** it, charge!" tactic and stormed into the Temple from the front door, Eleria and Garrus leading the charge. They had since rendevouzed with Kairee and Kasumi. Instantly, Garz moved his shotgun from Alexander's head to fire a slug at Garrus as he took cover behind the pews, readying his sniper rifle. He missed. Eleria and Kairee rolled to the right whereas Kasumi and Garrus were on the left side of the pews, and out of this entire team only Garrus had a gun. Kasumi and Kairee had ditched their M77 Paladins once they had ran out of thermal clips, and didn't anticipate a full-blown firefight.

"Krogan?! Seriously!?" Kasumi exclaimed as Garrus hopped out of cover momentarily to return fire, also missing his shot as Garz, Skarn, and Lilis hit the floor and crawled into a safer place. Alexander lay limp on the ground in front of Orentos Arion, who rolled back behind the stone altar to signal backup. To Alexander's amusement, there was no reply, made evident by Orentos' angered cursing.

Eleria sprang up and flung a biotic warp at Jurdon Garz, causing him to stagger back. Garrus seized the moment and shot him in the stomach. His armor was breached, but it didn't kill him on the spot, unfortunately, but it did cause him to collapse and drop his gun.

That left Lilis and Skarn.

Lilis roared in fury and charged straight for Garrus, who shoved her back with the side of his rifle and attempted to shoot her. She tossed the Mantis away with biotic "telekinesis" and raised her fists, which seeped with swirling blue energy. Garrus snarled and raised his own fists, taunting the Asari.

Eleria shot out of cover with a dramatic lunge, also using her biotics to amplify a punch directed at Jurdon Skarn, who parried the attack with a sly smirk. This went on for a minute, the Novice Assassin attempting to land a blow on the Templar Vindicator who would brush aside the punches. After silently (relatively speaking, seeing as how the rest of their respective groups were screaming in agony or ferocity) dueling for that minute, Skarn began to speak, multitasking a conversation with the fight.

"You have much potential!"

Eleria twirled, bringing her foot around for a roundhouse kick, which Skarn ducked under with some difficulty. "Yeah? Thanks!" she cried as her foot sailed over the Krogan's hunched back.

"Impressive agility, for one of your caliber, of course," he remarked. Not once had he returned an offensive strike. This was beginning to unnerve Eleria.

"Hrmph!" she replied, throwing a warp at Skarn. This time it connected, knocking him down onto his rear.

"You also come with some pretty powerful biotics. I like that," Skarn purred.

Eleria stared at him with a disgusted look as he simply remained on the ground. Was he seriously flirting with her?

"Skarn! Quit complementing the enemy and do something useful you _runt!_" Garz hollered as he inched closer to his dropped shotgun.

Kairee left cover to assist Garrus, slamming a balled fist into Lilis' cheek. A sickening crack was heard as Lilis crumpled onto the ground. "One down," she muttered, making her way over to Garz and planting a foot in his face, silencing him.

Eleria rolled her eyes at Skarn and revealed her Hidden Blade, stabbing Skarn in the stomach and knocking him unconscious via biotic punch with the other hand.

"That's the rest of them. Damn, I think that they need to start wearing helmets for the Goddess' sake…" Eleria snickered, spitting on Lilis as she passed by.

Alexander, with a groan, picked himself up off the floor and turned his head back, nodding at Garrus, Kasumi, and Eleria. "Get the bodies out of here… I have unfinished business. Thanks for the save, there," he told them, smiling and ruffling his hair with his hand. He looked down at his shattered helmet. "I'm lucky it's nighttime, eh?" he muttered to himself. At this point, he wasn't even mad that nobody bothered to move him into cover. Just before they saved the day he had a shotgun propped against his face, so he'd take what he could get. They responded with smiles and began dragging the bodies of the Vindicators out of the temple.

"Shepard, Garrus here. Mission accomplished, we're returning to the Spaceport. EDI, nobody's tracking this conversation? Check for any signs of surveillance," Garrus spoke into his visor's communicator.

He limped over to Lilis' body before Kasumi dragged her off and picked up her M3 Predator pistol, likely for Personal Protection during what was anticipated to be a calm wedding ceremony. He then staggered back to the altar where Orentos Arion was cowering.

Just as he was about to aim his weapon at the Templar Grand-Master, a click was heard, and Alex veered his head to the left. Coracia Antar apparently picked up on the lack of guards, or heard the distress call from Orentos. She now had a M5 Phalanx pressed against Alex's forehead.

"Huh," Alexander murmured, before speaking at a public volume, "You know, I did wonder about 'meeting the parents' at some point, but I always figured we'd meet sharing a cup of tea, rather than aiming the barrels of our guns at each other… Life's a mystery," he quipped.

Orentos sprang from the altar with his hands raised in surrender. "He's unarmored Coracia, take him out!" he hissed.

Coracia waved the gun briefly, "I wouldn't recommend letting your friends interfere if they came in here, darling. It might make my finger get a bit twitchy with the trigger," she warned.

"So I'm not the only one who says that?" Alex chuckled. Coracia looked down at her feet to see the barrel of the M3 Predator mere inches from her belly. Alexander cleared his throat, "You and I are quite alike, I suggest we both lower our weapons. You start, I'll follow," he whispered in his infamous 'faux-calm' tone that oozed with venom, wrapped in an eerie, sadistically jolly voice.

"Give me one good reason why I should let you kill an Executor?" came the reply.

Kasumi Goto, who had earlier cloaked and sneaked back into the Temple upon having had a hunch that trouble was afoot, said, "Perhaps a good reason would be because your daughter was merely a tool to him? That she's just an expendable meant to be married, used to give him an heir, and then done away with?" she snarled, which caused Coracia's glare, previously fixated on Alexander, to shift to Orentos for a second or two. She had no idea where the voice came from, but if somebody randomly said _that_ to her, she wasn't going to take a chance.

"That true, Executor Arion? We talked about this. _Using_ her and then killing her was not part of the plan," she stated bluntly.

"Ah, we discussed taking her off of the Cerberus mission, to get her away from the humans, and raise her ranking in the hierarchy!" Orentos replied, mandibles twitching frantically. Alexander smirked. Under pressure, this dude really broke character.

"You didn't answer my question. That never came up."

"Coracia, I may have said some things to give this thug a good scare!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, came the words of Lilis Nyxanni that were spoken to Kairee earlier. Kasumi Goto _had_ recorded the tirade after all!

_"__I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. We haven't received an artifact, or even so much as a reply. Face it, none of them miss you! Orentos told me when he hired me, that you're just an expendable. Once they get done on the other side of the Omega-4, dead or alive, the mission will be completed, and we'll have no use for you anymore. Thanks to the stubborn jackassery of your colleagues, we'll have no other choice but to let me pry you apart, since we don't have an Artifact," _said the recording. Kasumi patted Alexander's shoulder and slipped the record chip into his exosuit's pocket.

Coracia turned to face Orentos, her expression clearly said that she was not amused. She then looked back at Alexander…

And a shot rang out.

Shamefully enough, Alexander had squeezed his eyes shut, anticipating a bullet in the heart. Slowly but surely he opened his eyes when he felt nothing, and looked over at Orentos. His left hand was clutching his chest as dark blue blood dribbled from his mouth. Sluggishly, he collapsed onto one knee, brushing his upper body across the altar as he slumped onto the floor, facing the ceiling. Both Alex and Coracia walked around the altar, lifted him up and laid him down on top of said altar.

"Hearing this idiot has really got me thinking," Coracia commented as she tossed one of Orentos' legs onto the altar to join the other one, "You came all this way, pulled all the sh** you did, and almost got killed in the process, for what exactly?"

Alexander cleared his throat once more and assumed a professional stance and facial expression. "I came here to save your daughter, Mrs. Antar," he said, staring right into her eyes as he said it.

"Omega-4 Relay? Sounds pretty important. I'm shocked that you delayed the mission just for her," she murmured. Orentos wasn't completely dead yet, gasping and sputtering.

Alexander looked over Orentos with a cold stare. "Mission failed. Who put you up to this?" he interrogated.

Orentos gagged, and regained his composure before speaking, "Never… would I ever disclose that to an assass…assassin…"

Alexander narrowed his eyes and looked deeper into Orentos' widened eyes. "Wrong answer. That bullet didn't strike a vital and you're going to be in pain for some time before you pass on. You might as well say your last words while you have the chance," he growled.

The dying Grand-Master coughed and subsequently spit his blood up into Alexander's face, which provoked him enough to thrust his hand towards Orentos's throat and squeeze. Coracia slapped Alex on the shoulder and he relented. "Your brotherhood will be the end of everything we've worked so hard to accomplish…" Orentos sighed.

"If you're going to give me a hard time about this, at least play this like a puzzle game," Alex jibed, crossing his arms. He felt no remorse for his actions this day, except for a twinge of of guilt for fighting in a religious temple. He wouldn't like it if somebody killed a man in a synagogue, mosque, or pagoda, so this was a little painful for him to do. Killing _this_ specific person, though? As they say in France, _Je Regrette Rien._

Coracia rolled her eyes when the response was given. Orentos hissed in pain as his vital signs began to descend sharply. It was almost over, but he conceded to give a hint: "Your answer lies in the cold… where the few dare to accuse, and the many… the many make a profit…"

Alexander ran these words in his head for a moment. In the cold, where a minority fling accusations around for something, and the majority profit off of something or someone. He looked back at Orentos, expecting more. The Turian's mouth was agape, cold, soulless eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, rolled back in his head.

Alex sighed, holding the cadaver's head up under the fringes and with the other hand, he brushed it over his face, closing his eyes for a corpse couldn't do so on its own. "Rest in Peace," he murmured. He took Kasumi's record-chip out of his pocket and attached it to Orentos' suit, setting it to play on loop in fifteen minutes. He lifted his Omnitool to his face and spoke into it, so that he may add onto the recording.

_"__We do not forgive. We do not forget. Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted. Do not fear Us, and know this man's treachery, but Expect Us."_

With that out of the way, he modulated the sound file to mask his voice, and added it to the end of Kasumi's recording and reset the loop timer.

"I'm not going to say that I trust you just yet, human, but you risked damn near everything for _my _daughter. Perhaps… perhaps she may be right about your kind after all. I want to speak with her," Coracia said, briefly glaring at Orentos' corpse, and then smiling up at Alexander.

Kasumi Goto uncloaked, "Calling for her now," she said, giving Coracia a good scare before cloaking again and running off. Within a few minutes, Kairee appeared at the front door to the temple, stepping inside and making her way to the altar where Alexander stood.

Alexander looked down at his feet nervously, and noticed that his hands were positioned to look professional, the way that grooms and groomsmen do at human weddings. He blushed for a moment and his hands parted as his eyes zipped around, eyeing the temple interior. It was funny how there was minimal collateral damage besides some bullet-holes in chairs, and a dead man lying neatly on the altar. This was pretty awkward standalone.

Kairee finally stepped up besides him and looked down at the dead Templar's body. "Finally got your revenge, you silly fool?" she asked, slugging Alex on the shoulder firmly yet affectionately. He smiled and gestured to Coracia. It didn't take a genius to know what that meant. "Y-you… shot _him_, and not… _him_?" Kairee replied, flustered. She pointed to Orentos on the first "_him_" and back to Alex on the second, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. Her mandibles flared in absolute shock.

"I was about to shoot _him #2_, but somebody provided a reason not to when I asked for it," she replied, smiling at her daughter, a genuine smile, for the first time in years.

A wave of silence washed over the two turian women. Kairee broke first, giving a light sob and throwing herself into her mother's open arms. Alexander smiled warmly when he took note of tears streaming down both of their faces. He felt like crying a little himself.

Both were now sobbing, years of separation and animosity now being erased in a single moment's embrace. "I love you, Kairee," Coracia finally managed to whisper, tightening her hold on her daughter.

Kairee's sobbing began again as she heard her mother's words. "I love you, too."

That did it. A lone tear cascades down Alex's cheek as this poetic moment reached an end. He wiped it away with his lower palm and continued to watch on. The two women broke the hug, and the younger Antar whirled around to toss her arms around Alexander, an embrace he returned, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Thank you, so much," Kairee whispered into Alex's ear.

He shook his head and declined the thank you, "Nah, I just asked Shepard to bring me here. All I did was get wrecked. Speaking of, did somebody catch the number of the truck that charged me?" he quipped, referring to Jurdon Garz.

Kairee's eyes widened and she broke the hug, padding her hands around Alex's shoulders and chest. "Are you hurt?" she inquired anxiously.

Alexander took hold of her wrists and kissed her on the mandible, not caring if Coracia was watching the whole thing transpire. "Nothing's broken, but I _am_ in a limp. I'll live, though I know for a fact that Miranda's gonna make me her Animus Monkey for the rest of the week, since I'm definitely waking up coated in nice, blue bruises," the obviously overconfident human teased.

"Oh Spirits, you'll look like an Asari won't you?" Kairee replied, joining in on the taunting.

From where she stood, Coracia chuckled and looked on as the two flirted. The two made each other oblivious to the world around them. They must really love each other to ignore their surrounding and time constraints, nevermind the dead body that really seemed to kill the mood in hindsight. "Well, not to interrupt this moment, but remember that I just let a human kill an Executor, and I kept hearing rumors of a 'Grand Master' something, in the days leading up to this clearly botched wedding, so if there's room for just one more on whatever ship you came to Palaven on…"

Alexander simply bobbed his head, "Oh, sure. We can give you a ride to the Citadel if you'd like," he responded.

At that moment, Eleria T'Geya clapped her hands loudly from the door to the temple. "Hey, wrap it up, wedding guests and hierarchy agents en route and will arrive _here_ in five!" she shouted. Coracia and Kairee took off in a light jog for the entrance.

Alex peered over at a little table with a set of several bowls of some form of liquid. An idea struck him. "Hey, Kairee, hold on a second!" he hollered. Eleria groaned and let Coracia pass her, but permitted Kairee to run back to see what Alex wanted.

When she arrived, Alex silently took her hand and led her over to the table. She looked up at him and then down at the face-paint, curious as to what he wanted.

With a sigh and a casual, warm grin, he dipped his index and middle finger into the bowl of red paint. "This… this was just something dumb I wanted to do," he muttered. With his non-painted hand he cradled Kairee's cheek, holding her head as he brushed the painted fingers across her face. He began with the forehead and trailed down in a diagonal line to the right, adding a splash of detail to the end point. He mirrored what he did there on the other side of his lover's face. As a final detail, he brushed a curved line close to the bottom of the previously painted streaks and finished up. He guided Kairee over to the waters underneath the statue of Palavos and let her look into the reflecting pool.

She smirked when she saw that what he had drawn was the insignia of the Brotherhood. "Why this?" she asked, not necessarily complaining.

"Well," came the reply, "I owe it to the Brotherhood… without them, I would never have met you."

"You're such a dork."

"I know. By the way, I never got the chance to say it, but…"

"Yes, Alex?"

"You look lovely. The dress works well, in my opinion."

"Thank you, I was considering keeping it after this maelstrom came to pass."

At that moment, a voice echoed throughout the temple. The recording had started! Alex and Kairee scrambled to exit the Temple, and stealthily entered the forest that covered the temple grounds.

* * *

The invited guests, needless to say, were in for the shock of their lives when they entered the Temple to find a few of the pews torn from the exchange of live ammo. What awed them the most was the groom's body, which lay neatly on the stone altar, hands folded over each other. The voice of the recording sounded throughout the room, the high ceilings creating a great echo.

_"__I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. We haven't received an artifact, or even so much as a reply. Face it, none of them miss you! Orentos told me when he hired me, that you're just an expendable. Once they get done on the other side of the Omega-4, dead or alive, the mission will be completed, and we'll have no use for you anymore. Thanks to the stubborn jackassery of your colleagues, we'll have no other choice but to let me pry you apart, since we don't have an Artifact,"_ the voice of Lilis Nyxanni cried out, exposing Orentos's true intentions to a now disgusted audience. Disgusted not because the groom was slain, but because the groom had forced a betrothal onto a woman to take her from loved ones for material gain, and then kill her later. The recording continued, _"We do not forgive. We do not forget. Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted. Do not fear Us, and know this man's treachery, but Expect Us," _warned an ominous, masked voice. It was deep, ponderous, like an Elcor's, it had an almost spectral subharmonic, like a Hanar's, a bit of a rasp, like a Volus's. It was impossible to determine what exactly the species of the killer was. Police would arrive on the scene shortly, but not before some familiar faces made a getaway…

A body began to stir. Jurdon Garz picked himself up off of the dirty, grassy ground and spit upon it in spite. As soon as Skarn did the same, he received a hardcore headbutting which put him back to sleep. "DAMN YOU, WORTHLESS RUNT!" Garz roared. He kicked his brother in the chest like a soccer player would drill a ball. Lilis moaned in pain, sitting up and holding her cracked jaw. Garz turned his blind rage towards her. "And you! **Sh** like this is ****_exactly_**** why I don't let a weak ****_female_**** get in my way!"** he boomed.

Lilis glared daggers at Garz, and stood up, dragging the much shorter Skarn with her as Garz stomped into the forest, punching holes into the trees as he passed.

**Normandy SR2, 2185**

The Normandy had barely managed to make their escape from Cipritine before word got around about Executor Arion's death. Rather than wait and see if they'd be put on the watch list, John Shepard decided that they'd simply _bolt_ and get off of Palaven before the mission came back to haunt them. Right now, it was "night-time" by Earth Standard Time. All human members of the crew were asleep, leaving a select few non-humans to wander the ship briefly before heading in.

Quite the stressful mission had taken place today, but it was a success, and that's all that mattered. Thoughts of the day's summary flooded Alexander's mind as he lay in his bed. For what should be obvious reasons, Kairee asked if she could sleep in Alex's quarters for this night, and, also obvious, Alexander accepted the offer.

He simply laid there, one arm underneath his pillow, the other draped over Kairee's waist. She had fallen asleep, head under his chin, her chest pressed against his chest. Needless to say she was exhausted, and Alex didn't blame her. He was busy trying to figure out how _he_ couldn't get any rest. He finally resigned after ten minutes, determining that the thought of the day's events wasn't worth it, seeing as how the conflict had been resolved.

His eyelids finally began to droop, the warmth of both the covers and of Kairee's body putting him into a relaxed state. Before he passed out, he planted a kiss on the top of Kairee's short fringe, telling her that he loved her.

Meanwhile, Coracia Antar had occupied Kairee's currently empty quarters, seeing as how her daughter was busy sleeping in the arms of a human.

A human.

Coracia chuckled as she continued reading from her datapad. So it was true. Her daughter had fallen into the arms of a human. In her mind, she admitted that she underestimated Kairee, once believing that she may have ended up with an Asari. A mental image of Kairee embracing an Asari crossed her mind and she chuckled once more. She was willing to accept this fact, that now she had a human in the family. She could never forget what humans did to her husband, Adrius, but she was willing to slowly forgive, as soon as she learned more about humanity, enough to understand them. That would be the topic of her datapad's downloaded encyclopedia. Human history, physiology, culture, etc.

The words of Alexander echoed in her mind, "Life's a mystery," and for once she agreed with him.

Life is a mystery, but it always finds a way to impress us, no?

* * *

**(Author's Note): Hey guys! Sutori-Artifex here! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Review if you liked it, gimme some constructive criticism or tell me what you liked about this chapter.**

**I got tired of writing Alexander as this Prince Charming type, so in this chapter, Alex... GET #REKT!**

**lol. Yeah, Falcon Pawnched by a Krogan, and catapulted by an emo Asari's biotics... not a good day for this Assassin c:**

**Coracia and Kairee reconciled! 3 I'm thinking of keeping Coracia around for a chapter or two, to give her some character development and luv. She will ****_not_**** receive a Spacebook username but I do intend to use her for some One-Shots.**

**About Garz, Skarn, and Lilis:**

**I am not a sexist, and I know that the last two chapters have not been feminist friendly for Kairee (chokeholded while loopy on a tranquilizer in chapter 6, then abducted in chapter 7 to be rescued in this chapter... **[I even ended up having this hostage-fetishist favorite chapter 6 over on deviantART. I "NOPE"ed out of his gallery when I realized why he favorited... sooo much hostage Miranda and Liara...]**)**

**But Garz is just that vicious. I wrote him to be a sexist, immature, vindictive idiot with the power to wreck a speeding bullet train with a headbutt, but the responsibility skills of a thug.**

**Skarn's flirting with Eleria: I'm unsure what that was about. Feel free to 'ship it if you want. #Skarleria for some Romeo x Juliet derp. xD**

**JUNE 28th EDIT: Fixed a few errors, like Kasumi and Kairee magically losing their pistols, and a mispelling of Palavos (Palovos) in the beginning of this chapter. I know I likely missed a few so if you can point them out, thank you so much!**


	9. Urdnot Wrex: Retaliation

**Sut-Fex Here! CHAPTER NINE. AAARGRHRRG. I'm tired of those rewrites to be completely honest with you guys, so I am siked to finally get started on the ninth chapter of Mass Effect: Creed! Hope you guys enjoy! We recently hit 30+ Followers! It means so much to me that you guys are reading and enjoying my story enough to subscribe to me and my story for more!**

**HEY! As the Suicide Mission looms close, I need you all to vote in the Poll on MY PROFILE on who dies and who survives the suicide mission! Vote for one character that should not make it out of the Collector Base alive! OR you can vote for "Nobody" and save them all! The Top 3 Voted will bite the bullet. _UNLESS_! "Nobody" is the number one result. If Nobody is the number one result, everyone will survive and live to make the future of this story even better! If Nobody is the second top result, one person, the #1, will die. If Nobody is the third top result, two people will die.**

**THIS IS A SERIOUS WARNING:**** BE CAREFUL WITH WHOM YOU VOTE FOR. WHILE I DID PUT EVERY CHARACTER AS AN OPTION FOR FAIRNESS' SAKE, SOME OPTIONS ARE _FLAGGED_ FOR IMPORTANCE TO THE STORY SUCH AS WREX, JANE, KAIDAN/ASHLEY, AND THE OCS. ALSO, MORDIN AND LEGION ARE PRETTY MUCH NECESSARY FOR A GOOD ENDING IN THE ME3 ARC.**

**_The Poll will close with the debut of Chapter 10, in which we resolve the final "Apprentice Loyalty" mission designed for Eleria, Frederico, and Lora. Chapter 11 will finally drag Legion's robotic rear into this story, and Chapter 12 will feature the final mission before Joker's Collector Attack, as well as Joker's Collector Attack! Chapter 13 ends the story arc with the Suicide Mission itself. I leave it up to reviews if I write a romantic scene for Alexander and Kairee preceding the Suicide Mission. We already have seen Garrus/Jane and Tali/John. No Lemon. Don't ask. Implied Lemon only, because [*denied*]._**

**Also I see that the Cerberus squadmates are getting all the hate right now. Well.**

**I won't waste anymore of your time. Let's dive back into the Masscreed Universe!**

* * *

**_Normandy_**** _SR-2_, 2185**

"Hey, Shepard? Yeah, Kaidan went to have a 'chat' with Alexander in Starboard Observation deck. Samara's in on it from what EDI's picking up. You might wanna head over there before 'the Code' demands that Kaidan or Alex have to get sucked out into space," Joker called over the comms. John Shepard got the message and immediately went to the scene of the confrontation.

The door opened to Alexander with a hidden blade at his side, and Kaidan's arms glowing with biotic energy. Samara was in between the two, hands lifted to their faces.

"What the _hell_ is going on in here!?" John cried.

"I figured out who this guy is!" Kaidan said, pointing at Alexander, who bucked forwards in an effort to intimidate Kaidan. "He used to be with the Alliance!"

John quirked an eyebrow and looked at Alexander, "That true?"

"It's how I got off of Eden Prime," Alexander replied, gaze fixed on Kaidan. "The Alliance was recruiting and I left with them to escape agrarian life and to help with College."

"And he was discharged by his commander after being a suspect in the murder of Admiral Herman Martinez!" Kaidan said, biotics flaring.

"It was a direct order from the Mentor himself! He chose _me_ for the mission! Martinez was about to order an attack on an Assassin Den in the Terminus Systems!" Alexander boomed.

"It was a Batarian slaver outpost! They were holding Alliance troops for ransom! You killed the man who was about to save those men!"

"Check the records, no messages about ransomed troops were sent by anyone that _year_. It was a ploy to take down an important Assassin outpost and take information about our leadership! I had to kill him!"

"You could have simply exposed him, if it was so important!"

John stamped his foot, "Both of you, enough!" he said, "Kaidan, you're right to be suspicious of Alexander given his background, but that's no excuse to sow discord on this ship, especially with such a dangerous mission ahead!"

Kaidan frowned at the Commander, but he turned to Alexander. "Alex, you're right to defend yourself in the face of this accusation, but you need to calm _down_! Your reputation and threat level naturally upsets people on this ship. You keep getting angry like this, and they're going to be proven right about you."

Alexander's hidden blade retracted into his bracer and he stood straight. Kaidan's biotics dissipated and he crossed his arms. "Yeah, okay," Kaidan said, stepping back. Samara quietly backed out of the room and let the three finish their conversation.

"You're correct, Commander," Alexander sighed, "My reputation precedes me it would seem… Makes people nervous and I justify their fear. Alright, I'm done here. I still haven't forgotten all you've done for me, don't worry, I'm good for this mission," he said, leaving the room.

"My apologies, John. I shouldn't have been so argumentative with him, I just figured that somebody needed to confront him about it, see if he proved a threat to the crew," Kaidan said, shrugging. John nodded and saw him out of the room, following suit and returning to the CIC deck.

Standing at the Galaxy Map, John Shepard was commanding a resource run of a mineral-rich planet. A heavy haul of Element Zero it seemed!

Suddenly he received a tap on the shoulder and turned his head to look over it. Kelly was there. "Sir, Wrex wishes to speak to you, something important, he said."

"I'll get right on it, thanks, Kelly," John replied, stepping down from the Galaxy Map to find Wrex.

And if it confused you before, Urdnot Wrex was picked up after Grunt's Rite of Passage. Alexander had convinced him to join the _Normandy_ Crew weeks ago by having Krogan Assassins watch the clans in his stead, and report any activity to him. All orders he had were issued to the Assassins, who'd relay them to the clans.

Wrex himself had a dorm for himself, but throughout the day he usually was camped in the Armory with Jacob and anyone else who decided to help out with the weapons that day. As John walked in, Wrex gave him a curt nod.

"Shepard."

"Wrex."

"Heard you had something to discuss?" John asked. He glanced at Jacob, who gave a straight salute and left the room.

"Yeah. The watchdogs Alexander left me are reporting something peculiar," Wrex replied, leaning on a weapon's bench, "A group of Krogan from the Jurdon clan are acting shifty, meeting up every now and then. There's talk of revolt, Shepard. Someone in a Female Camp, an… Irzia? Whatever's going on, I need to put an end to it personally, prove that I haven't abandoned my duty to the clans."

"Tuchanka then, I take it?"

"You got it."

* * *

**Tuchanka, 2185**

The shuttle landed, its doors swinging open. John Shepard, Urdnot Wrex, Eleria T'Geya, Jack, Samara, and Alexander Clarke stepped out. The formermost two of the bunch journeyed on into the ruined "village", where they found a group of Krogan dressed in white and red battle armor fending off an unseen enemy.

"Get your head down, sir!" one of them cried as a sniper round whizzed past Alexander's head. He flipped his hood on, drew his Automattock, and got to cover in the span of five seconds. The rest joined him behind a row of crates.

"Who the hell are these guys?" Wrex asked, lobbing a grenade over cover. It detonated over the heads of the snipers, causing them to shout for retreat.

"We suspect Knights Templar," a Krogan Assassin whispered, "We've been in this skirmish for an hour, now. We haven't been able to actually _spot_ them, but wherever you threw that 'nade, it has them running!"

"Good to hear," John said, "Any information on what's got them pissed with this specific camp?"

"There is a Grandmaster present on the planet as we speak. He or She has been attempting to incite rebellion against Urdnot Wrex's rule, and he/she's using force and foreign support from the other Templar Clans!"

"Damnit, I take it he/she won't let up anytime soon?" asked Alexander.

The Krogan Assassins shook their heads and peered over cover. The coast was clear. They stood up and –

A round pierced one's helmet, then skull, coming out the other end as the helmet burst open at the side. The Krogan collapsed dead.

"Shit!" Jack shouted, pumping her shotgun.

Alexander leapt over cover and held his cloak over his face and torso as he ran towards the location of the snipers. A few bullets struck the cloak and hit the shields, lowering them a considerable amount, but Alex kept running. He biotic-charged over the hill and into the air, falling down onto a sniper, plunging his blade into her throat. He stood up, snap-kicked the sniper rifle from the other's hands and slashed his throat before pushing him over to drown in his own blood. A third sniper attempted to sneak up on him, but he heard the footsteps and rammed his open palms into the aorta of his adversary, the blades entering and killing him almost instantly. He shoved his attacker away and sheathed his blades.

"Coast is clear this time!" he cried out. He stepped down the hill and back to the camp.

"…Damnit, we lost Kyrz," the surviving Assassin bemoaned, knelt over the body of his fallen comrade.

"He's earned his rest. Now to make sure we take this Grandmaster down a peg, and restore the peace."

Wrex let out a haughty laugh. "We're Krogan! What is peace?" he rhetorically asked. "You're just here because somebody challenged my authority and I want that person taken care of before riots break out or something!"

Alexander smirked. "Anyways, what do we know about them? What direction did they come from?"

"Local rumors say that Jurdon clan is the mastermind… a female camp recently capitulated when Jurdon troops opened fire wanton, killed a few guards, a couple of infertiles."

"That's deplorable. There are children in these camps, some of which could be members of the last generation as well," Eleria said with a frown.

"Dunno what they wanted with the camp. Must've been the close proximity to our camp. Anyways, I can try to get a Tomkah for us to take to the female camp. You all relax for a moment and plan a strategy. Buy something, watch a Pit Fight…"

* * *

**Female Camp #3 2185**

"Irzia," came a voice familiar to the hulking Krogan female as she opened a communications request in her makeshift office in the Female Camp.

"Harper," she grumbled as she reviewed a collection of datapads.

"I come with a message. The _Normandy SR-2 _has landed on Tuchanka and a squad was sent out to stabilize Assassin control of Clan Urdnot and its vassals. I just wanted you to be aware," TIM said, taking a puff of his cigarette.

Irzia froze, just in the middle of picking up another datapad. Before it even left the desk her fingers slipped away from it and her hands came clasped together as she leaned forwards. "Your men threaten my operations? Grandmaster Harper you are treading dangerous dunes with your actions!" she shouted, "Why do you do this? Your work against the Collectors was sworn in as being carried out as official Templar business, for the Templars, by the Templars, in the Order's name and legacy. You took an oath, so what makes you think you can send _your_ Cell's men to hamper _my_ Cell's mission to reunite Tuchanka under Jurdon rule?"

"You may question my methods but do not question my motives. My loyalty lies with the Templars. I am asking you to keep the Assassins on their toes," TIM chuckled, taking another draft of air from his cigarette, "I won't reveal too much, but affirmations of Cerberus being a superior Cell are beginning to be uttered from the Assassins aboard the _Normandy_."

"So then all of this for a little nationalism? Pathetic," said Irzia, looking away from TIM.

"It's strengthening our resolve in the Collector Mission. Anything that works, works. It's not a broken system, so don't try to fix it. When they come for you, and they will, just know that your 'fertility' is your unbreakable shield. If word gets out that a fertile Krogan female was murdered by an Assassin, support for them would plummet. Even Salarians and Turians would draw the line. A Genophage is enough, killing one of the rare gems of the Krogan race is a controversy for stronger discussion."

"…fine. If you believe it will help overall. I will send _them_ out. Lilis retains her broken jaw from the previous failure on Palaven and is resting on their ship. Lucky for us Krogan, we regenerate quickly."

"Good. Harper out."

Outside the female camp, our heroes awaited the time to strike out in the sand dunes within their Tomkah.

The Krogan Assassin broke the lenghty silence that had been maintained on the ride from the Urdnot Throne. "Our Tomkah is unmarked. I took the long way for the sake of driving in from the west side rather than the east, as to not raise suspicion from the Jurdons too soon," he explained from the driver's seat, looking back over his shoulder.

"Good work, but what if we're pulled over?" Alexander asked him, leaning forwards in his seat and flipping his hood on.

"We either pose as prisoners – well, _you_ pose as prisoners, or we go guns blazing."

Jack cackled at the suggestions, "F*** yeah, honestly I would prefer the latter any damn day!"

"Ha! I like her!" Wrex agreed. The two exchanged a knucklebump.

"Patience," Alexander said. John was swift to agree, citing the fact that there was an actual _army_ of Krogan out here.

The Tomkah stopped. Muffled voices were heard from the outside and a loud banging shook the side of the Tomkah where the door would be. A moment of silence and then a sharper _BANG_, producing a dent on the inside of the vehicle. Another was soon created, then another. Eventually, with a foolhardy charge, one Berserker came crashing into the door, ripping it open enough for him to get through.

"ASSASSINS, **I KNOW _YOU'RE HERE!_**" He bellowed. A shotgun blast sent him sprawling out onto the floor of the tank. Jack pumped her shotgun and spit on the Krogan, exiting the tank and going Psychotic Biotic. A _massive_ nova lifted most of the opposing Jurdon forces into the air. John, Jack, Wrex, and Alexander picked them off with their weapons Samara shot herself out of the hole in the door like a cannonball and glided with the aid of biotics, slamming a punch into another Jurdon, smashing his helmet (and head) in as she drew a pistol and regrouped with the rest of the team. The Krogan Assassin joined the firefight as they slowly made their advance down the camp's streets.

"I never got your name!" Alexander cried, the defeaning gunfire and explosives detonations making it harder to hear anything.

"Graak! Defected from Weyrloc to Urdnot a while before its destruction!" the Krogan replied, throwing a sticky incendiary grenade over Alexander's head. It stuck and exploded on a hostile Krogan.

"Good throw!"

They continued to storm the streets, fighting their way to what they hoped would be some sort of administrative center. Knowing the Krogan in their current state it would just be ruins of a sort or a ramshackle house. Further extending the mission was the need from Samara, Alexander, and Graak to rescue the women, children, and non-Jurdon guards caught in the crossfire. The supporting fire from the guards proved incredibly useful, and the women were able to provide directions.

Samara and Alexander flung themselves into cover following an explosion from a frag grenade. After lifting him the attacker with biotics and shooting him down with a Suppressor pistol, the firefight entered a brief lull which they used to discuss the situation.

"Is there a body count for civilians?" Samara asked, peering over cover to see nothing but the blowing sands and ruins of the camp.

"None, they must have been evacuated or hidden somewhere," Graak replied, checking behind him as Samara checked over cover.

"It's not like Krogan to hide," John said, narrowing his eyes with a raised left brow as he put his shotgun away.

"This is the Jurdon Clan we're referring to, here. Knowing them, the females and children are a bargaining chip. They've most likely got them all rounded up somewhere in the camp, ready to kill or otherwise wrest them away from Urdnot control if we do not acquiesce to their demands, whatever they may be," Wrex explained.

Eleria put a hand to her throat and her expression spoke volumes of her sympathy.

"Then we split up. I'll take Samara and Jack to find the females. Alexander will take Eleria and Graak to find Irzia and shut this operation down from the inside," John declared. "You'll need to summon reinforcements to take back the camp, but in the meantime, you should come with us, Wrex."

Wrex thought briefly about the plan and then nodded his head, checking his shotgun's ammo and reloading the thermal clip. "You heard the Commander!" he said to Graak, "Go with them and take Irzia down!"

Graak gave a sharp salute and charged down the north street with Alexander and Eleria, while Wrex left down the west street with John, Jack, and Samara.

* * *

**Fireteam Delta: Rescue**

It took no time at all to encounter resistance as a fireteam of Jurdon berserkers and a battlemaster took the field, raining bullets upon John's squad of four. They returned fire with pleasure, Jack charging in with John to 2v1 the battlemaster while Samara and Wrex stayed back and picked off the berserkers with their own biotics. It was an all-biotic team of three vanguards and an adept. As horribly vulnerable in the realm of tech as they were, the Krogan were just as unspecialized for that task. Details unnecessary, Fireteam Delta quickly achieved victory over their attackers and managed to coax the location of the camp's civilians from the Battlemaster.

Wrex's hunch was correct; they were gathered in a hostage situation south of the camp, ready to move out in tomkahs to the Jurdon "capital".

Without a moment of hesitation the four ran as fast as they could, storming down the south alleys and ruins and shooting down any opposition. Straggling guards from Urdnot-friendly clans were picked up along the way, the Fireteam growing larger as more support was acquired.

At last, the Tomkah convoy was in sight. The Jurdons were clad in silver and gold colored armor, waving weapons of various kinds around as they shoved females and any existing, living children into the Tomkahs. As to catch them off-guard, Samara slinked off, moving through a broken building, ducking down under a window. Upon throwing a Pull Field, John, Jack, and Wrex fired biotic warps as artillery, causing a small explosion that killed a substantial amount of hostile Jurdons and left the Tomkahs generally unfazed. Charging down the street, the Fireteam let their bullets fly, mowing down resistance with little effort. The Tomkahs that had been fully loaded began driving off much to Wrex's chagrin as he lobbed a grenade at the tires of a Tomkah. The vehicle drove over before it could detonate, making the attempt a vain one. Cursing loudly, Wrex threw his shotgun on the ground and sulked in place as the others unloaded the remaining Tomkahs.

After rescuing those they could rescue, John caught up to Wrex. "We'll get them back, eventually," he said, rolling his shoulder and shaking his head.

Wrex growled, "It's too late. I know Clan Jurdon and they don't wait with hostages!"

"We saved _them_, though. It wasn't a complete failure."

"…you're right about that, I guess. I'll have some men lay siege to Jurdon's capital camp. I got friends in the other clans that would _hate_ to hear that these females were taken, along with the children."

"Good man," John replied, staring off into the distance after the Tomkahs, "We still have Irzia to take down."

**Killteam Echo: Jurdon Irzia**

At around the same time John and his Fireteam left, "Killteam Echo" left to find Irzia. Urdnot Graak provided directions, having visited this female camp on occasion.

"Possible locations for an office would be Nursery #2 or the 'hospital.' I use that term lightly," Graak said as the Killteam walked down the dusty path.

Eleria raised a brow, "Why Nursery #2?"

"Bigger of the three, and it's easy to fortify, being underground. That's our best bet. Underground bunker? Not smart to pass up," Graak replied with a low chuckle.

"I can get behind that logic. What do you know about Jurdon Irzia?" Alexander said, putting his Automattock away and checking his pistol and hidden blades in a quick inventory check.

"Jurdon Clan. Gets her power from her fertility and backing from the Templars, that's all I know."

"I hear she's a Grandmaster, perhaps _the_ Krogan Grandmaster?" Eleria whispered, and Alexander cracked a grin.

"If by 'fertile' you mean 'able to have a child that isn't stillborn with higher chances of success' then yes, I can see why she'd be powerful. A move on a female camp? Deporting all the females and children? The hell is this?" said the Human.

"Maybe she wishes to use the children to strengthen Jurdon? Maybe she seeks to cure the Genophage with the females…" Graak said, offering up his idea for the master plan.

"If the former's the case, we can't let her get away with that. If the latter applies, she might use the cure to rally the Krogan to her cause. Because Urdnot is the clan that openly supports the Brotherhood, we have to delay the Genophage curing a bit longer. My apologies, Graak."

Graak shrugged, "You outrank me, but regardless, as much as I want to be able to have a son, I'd want my son to be _mine_, _not_ _Jurdon's_."

Alexander nodded his head to the Krogan's words and then raised his hand to signal the group to stop. "I heard something… footsteps," he said, whipping out his Automattock once again and swerving in both directions, checking his surroundings as his group did the same. Nothing, but they kept their weapons out. The Nursery was close.

Graak was first to point it out. "Alright! Here we are!" he said, running down the stairs and up to the strangely unprotected door.

"Wait!" Alexander cried, and the Krogan Assassin stood at the door, frozen.

"What's the matter, sir?"

"Isn't it funny that nobody else is here?"

"We could be in the wrong location," Eleria suggested.

"It's worth checking. May I enter?" Graak replied.

Alexander narrowed his eyes. He approached the door and Graak and Eleria kept an eye on him. Speaking of eyes, the irises of his eyes flashed into a bright, golden coloration as he stared at the door. In his vision, the world darkened to a true black, with the buildings exhuding a dim yet pale, grey phosphorescence. Graak and Eleria shined a brilliant sky-blue. He could see through the door ever so faintly. A red silhouette was visible in the shape of a Krogan holding a shotgun in one hand like a pistol up to the door at face-level. He signalled for the team to drop back and his eyes returned to their normal color.

"Bleeding Effect ex Machina," he muttered, suddenly igniting with a blue, flamelike biotic energy as he darted forwards, slamming shoulder first into the door, breaking through it and picking up Jurdon Garz in the process, knocking him off his feet and throwing him into the air to be slammed back first into the wall. He crumbled to his knees and faceplanted. **"And that was for Palaven, pyjak spawn!" **Alexander cried as Graak and Eleria entered the Nursery.

Strewn about the room were various cots of different (but not diverse) clothes and colors, presumably for children, as well as various "toys" including fake guns, melee weapons, and sports equipment. Eleria whistled and chuckled, "Wow, the kids play hard," she commented, walking over to an airsoft M8 Avenger.

"We're like Human Spartans. War training starts early, but for the young ones, we start off by making it look like a game," Graak elucidated with an impartial shrug.

Alexander was examining Garz, lifting him up (with difficulty) and propping him against the wall, checking his armor for anything like a pocket where he could store information.

As he found a slit in the side of Garz's waist armor, he aimed to slip his hand into it. Garz's eyes shot open and a hand curled around Alex's throat, picking him up as the massive Krogan stood to his feet. _"And this is for the door, you squishy slug of a human…"_ he whispered. Eleria and Graak aimed their guns at him and he cackled in his iconically deep voice. "I will make short work of all of you! Skarn! Get out here!" he cried, throwing Alexander forwards, managing to get him outside the door.

Alexander hit the ground hard, only miraculously avoiding cracking his skull on the stairs. Pain still wracked his body, however, and he was out of commission long enough for Garz to lift up his hand-cannon and for Skarn to enter the room. He stared Eleria down with a suave grin, which Eleria grimaced at. She still blushed though.

Alexander lifted himself to his feet and reached for his M11 Suppressor, drawing it and aiming it for Garz. Skarn trained his assault rifle on Alexander, Graak fixed the sight of his rifle on Skarn, and Eleria kept her SMG aimed between the two Jurdons.

"Great, a Mexican Standoff…" Alexander sighed, prompting Graak to quirk a brow.

"Mecksiwha?"

"Later, Graak…"

There was a shadowy stillness for a minute. And then a count of four shots rang out. Eleria had fired her gun at Garz's arm as he tried to fire his gun, the bullet missed Alexander by inches as he fired his weapon at Garz's stomach. Skarn began unloading a clip of ammunition into Alexander's shields, forcing him to retreat and run out of the Nursery to recover. Graak fired into Skarn, breaking his shields as the two got into a fist fight, dropping their guns and handling things the old fashioned way. Eleria rushed Garz and kicked him in the jaw. It connected, but he caught her ankle and threw her into Skarn and Graak, breaking up the fight. Skarn had managed to catch her as the fell, and a humiliated Eleria shoved herself off of him and drew her pistol, spending the thermal clip on Skarn's reinforced armor. Graak pulled him to his feet and immediately planted a fist into his face.

Alexander rejoined the fight, grabbing his Automattock, firing, and jumping into a slide, gliding across the floor and spending the clip of the assault rifle on Garz, breaking his shields. As he slid under him, he threw his Automattock to Eleria, flicked his wrists, and sliced into Garz's shins, toppling him forwards. Picking himself up from the slide, he turned and lunged onto Garz's back, jamming his hidden blade into his back. Looking over to Skarn, he saw that Graak and Eleria had him pressed against the wall for interrogation. Garz was out like a light, he wasn't moving, and very likely dead. Then again, it was Garz. Figuring that it was more important to find Irzia, Alexander left his body be for now to press Skarn for answers.

"Where's the Grandmaster?" he asked in a tone almost friendly, nonchalant.

Skarn remained quiet, a light frown on his face. "He asked you where Irzia is!" Graak cried, striking him across the cheek. He didn't budge.

Graak had engaged his hidden blades when Eleria held him back. "Just give me some time with him," she said.

"You're an apprentice, what could you know of our interrogation methods?"

"I don't, but I can reason with him."

Graak growled, sheathing his blades and walking away to join Alexander in searching the place. There were three floors, all going underground. There was a door to a stairwell, but the final floor appeared collapsed. The second floor was merely a small dining room meant to serve meals. Checking the inside of that, they found nothing but rusty tables and bent dining equipment. Although, someone left a datapad.

_Lilis,_

_ How unfortunate it is that you can't make it to Garz's revenge assignment. He's guarding Grandmaster Irzia himself! We recovered from the Palaven attack just fine. I still might have a bruise scar from when he kicked me in the sternum, and I'm not sure if he managed to give me a concussion or not, but I should be fine. Not like you really care, but I hope your jaw gets better. I'm ready to smash some Assassins. If they come here in light of the Jurdon attack, I'll take the Turian down for you if she's here! If not, I'll get the Human! Irzia's doing just fine. She's managed to take the basement of the Nursery #2. Oddly, she bombed the third underground floor. No way in or out without some digging._

_ She's been acting… oddly, lately. Peaceful (for a Krogan) and collected at times, steaming in rage at other times without provocation, and, once or twice, she broke into tears before _or_ after lashing out at us. Yesterday I caught her eating pyjak meat soaked in Thessian vinegar and Eden Prime-manufactured mustard. The hell? Pyjak meat is bitter as it is, why does she need that stuff?_

_ Anyways, I digress. I hope you heal up soon, I'll carry out your work here on Tuchanka! For the Order!_

_~Skarn._

"Can you please tell me where Irzia is?" Eleria asked the Jurdon politely.

"I'm afraid I can't speak of that," he replied with a stern glare.

"…I'm going to try to talk Alexander out of killing her, if it helps."

"It does, a little, but it's not like he'll listen. He's just an angry, trigger-happy Assassin, like the rest of them."

"And I'm trigger-happy?"

"…well you shot me _quite a lot_ when I was down. I'm lucky you were using a Predator on _this_ reinforced armor."

Eleria conceded that point. She sighed and changed the subject. "What the hell was with that email?"

"Oh, that little love-letter?" Skarn said, and Eleria could've sworn he blushed. "My Biotic Aconitum..."

"Why are you calling me a poisonous plant!?"

Skarn only smirked and crossed his arms. He rolled his eyes at his own stubbornness and spilled it. "I was left rather breathless by your beauty and ability, for your rank. You're merely an Apprentice, and you took me down, leaving me almost literally breathless."

Eleria stepped back and grinned, "Ah, so you're not just saying that to make me lower my guard," she said.

"Well, if Garz found out, that'd be my halfassed excuse, but it would be halfassed obviously," the Krogan replied.

"…your pupils are dilated…"

"So I do have a concussion from Palaven."

"I did that?!"

"No. Garz did, I'm used to him beating me however. It toughens me up," Skarn sighed, letting his arms fall to his sides.

"How badly does he hurt you?"

"Enough to make a Field Goal Kicker jealous whenever he drills me with his foot, and enough to rival a ring-boxer with how hard he strikes me."

"That's disgusting," Eleria said, laying a hand on Skarn's shoulder, "Are you really okay?"

"I'll manage. If creating Order and Peace means putting up with his anger, I'll deal."

"You… are not like any Krogan I've ever met. You're quite well-mannered, actually," Eleria commented, giving Skarn a once-over.

"I've learned to keep it all on the inside. In fact, I've learned it's more terrifying to others to hold my anger back behind an air of refined behavior."

"…that's impressive, actually."

"You'd get to see more of it if you were a Templar."

"No. Your Order and 'Peace' mean giving up the freedoms I live for."

"It's a worthy sacrifice! I'm trying to save the Krogan race from itself!"

"And does Garz feel the same? This totalitarianism saves nothing. Templar methods and motives have kept Tuchanka away from its former self for millenia! Meanwhile I signed up to be an assassin strictly to give people the key to free themselves. I want them to have creativity, culture, and freedom of speech and thought!" Eleria shouted, pushing Skarn back against the wall.

He kept silent, and then, after a minute, he replied. "She's on the third floor, behind the blasted staircase." Eleria thanked Skarn for the directions, drew his pistol, and stepped back to monitor the Krogan and his unconcious brother.

Downstairs, Alexander had stashed the datapad and walked down to the third floor. He received a message from Eleria, confirming the location in the third floor. "Either we start digging or we use an explosive charge," he said to Graak, who began studying the debris blocking their path.

"A charge would just make it worse. We're not blowing down a door. She's jammed herself in this room pretty well," Graak commented, tearing a stone away from the debris pile.

Alexander shrugged and began lifting debris away with his biotics, occasionally throwing a shockwave into the debris to push it forwards. "You think she has an escape route?"

"Possibly!" Graak said, tossing a piece of stone behind him and into the wall, "But she can't run far!"

Alexander felt that they had thinned the barrier enough, and began pushing into it with a few shockwaves. Slowly but surely the debris was pushed forwards, falling in a landslide into the next room. Climbing to the top, he fell to a prone position and rolled into the room, which he found was lit by makeshift torches, seeing as how electricity wasn't a plausible luxury in a ruinous encampment. Irzia was standing by her desk. She sighed and picked up a pistol from the left side of the desk, turning and aiming the M6 Carnifex at Alexander's face. "Drop your weapons," she demanded.

"You're outskilled, outnumbered, and outgunned. Why am I to drop my things?"

"Because you are politically unknown. I am politically immune. By coming after me all of Tuchanka will reject your Brotherhood!" Irzia barked, firing a warning shot into Alexander's shoulder. His shields were reduced to half their strength and the force of the shot dislocated his left shoulder. He cursed in pain.

"Damnit! Your diplomatic immunity only goes so far! Jurdon's not a welcome clan around here, you know that? You attacked a female camp, for what!?"

Irzia admired the side of her pistol. "Strategy. The camp is a stepping stone away from the Urdnot capital camp. Once we take Urdnot, nothing can stop us from dominating Tuchanka, and reuniting the Krogan people. The females will be used for research and the children for training in the ways of the Vindicator."

"Admirable, your mind…" Alexander remarked, "But I can't let you get away with this."

Irzia watched as Alexander lifted his pistol back up with his one good arm. He shot the pistol out of her hand and smirked as it landed on the floor with a loud _clack!_

His finger tensed around the trigger once again as he held his aim to Irzia's face. She was beginning to look visibly nervous.

She held her hands up and, moving the burqa away from her face, she spoke. "You wouldn't dare shoot me while I'm pregnant."

Alexander's eyes shot open and the irises flashed the tell-tale golden color. Sure enough, he could see two silhouettes. One of Irzia, which was a bright red, and a purplish silhouette of an underdeveloped fetus in the pit of her abdomen, likely blue, but mixed with its mother's red coloration. His eyes returned to their ocean-blue hue and he holstered his pistol.

"You would be right about that. While there's no telling if it will be born without a heartbeat, our dossiers on you state that you have a higher chance of giving birth to living Krogan than others… Mordin will want to see you, as a matter of fact."

"I will come quietly, if only to preserve this child."

Alexander approached Irzia and motioned for her to turn. As she did, he took note of the slight bulge in her middle as he took her hands and held the wrists together. He looked down to his toolbelt and sifted through the pouches. He had nothing to bind her wrists. "Damnit," he said, drawing his pistol again and holding it to Irzia's back. "Just head upstairs, I'm behind you."

The two moved to the barrier, which Graak had continued to demolish. A final attempt at ramming it with his shoulder sent the rest of the debris away via landslide, clearing a path. "You're not killing her?" he said, holding his gun up to Irzia.

"I will if she attempts to kill us, summon reinforcements, or runs away. And I'm dead serious, but she's pregnant... again."

Irzia rolled her eyes and walked past Graak, heading upstairs where she found Eleria and Skarn talking. Her eyes stared flaming daggers at Skarn, and he narrowed his eyes in silent spite.

At that moment, John and his fireteam arrived. Wrex immediately marched up to Irzia and planted a fist in her face, knocking her to her hands and knees. Alexander aimed his pistol at Wrex, shouting for him to stop, and Wrex, Samara, and John pulled out their weapons, aiming at Alexander. Graak and Eleria raised their guns at John and his fireteam.

_"Goddamnit that's two Mexican Standoffs today!" _Alexander cried.

"What are you doing? Shouldn't we be killing her? She's a Grandmaster!" John shouted.

"I'm planning on bringing her to the Citadel to be held by the Brotherhood until she gives birth!"

Wrex's mouth parted and he stared Irzia down. He just _hit_ a pregnant female. Of _his_ species. "I'll make sure that _assault_ bites you in the ass later, _Urdnot_," she sneered, getting up to her feet and holding her jaw.

Wrex backed away, slowly, putting his shotgun away as John and Samara stood down as well. Not a single word was spoken until the Normandy had deployed the shuttle and brought them all aboard, Skarn included.

* * *

**_Normandy SR-2,_**** 2185**

Mordin had predictably already set to work analyzing Grandmaster Irzia as Alexander, Kairee, John and Jane Shepard, Skarn, Wrex, and Miranda Lawson stood by, watching quietly.

"Interesting. Exactly the reason the Genophage had to be altered. Dossiers suggest partial resistance to Genophage. All childred born prior to today born healthy and alive… hasn't been affected by the alteration. Problematic, yet a relief at the same time. …I am conflicted."

Alexander crossed his arms as he leaned back against the wall. "Well, we're taking her to the Citadel to be held under arrest by the Brotherhood, at least until she gives birth. As for the child? I vote we take it and raise it, Masyaf style," he said. Irzia growled loudly, and then lifted her voice in a roar.

**"You will not take this child as a trophy of your Brotherhood's victory! Even for you Assassin scumsacks, that is beyond low and immoral! The very reason I fight against you bastards!"**

Alexander's eyes bulged as he reeled in mild fear. Miranda glared at the Assassins. "I agree with her, and not just because I am a proud Templar. That's disgusting, wanting to indoctrinate a child like that!"

"Isn't indoctrination your ultimate goal?" Alexander retorted. "One indoctrinated Krogan raised to fight those fighting for galactic indoctrination seems like a decent tradeoff!"

John and Jane took sides. Jane with the Assassins naturally, and John surprisingly supported Miranda. "No, the Assassins are about choice. Taking the will from one being is a cardinal sin by your Brotherhood's standards is it not?" John growled.

"Yes, but surely the son or daughter of a Templar _Grandmaster_ would be used as a weapon against the Brotherhood. It would be better to remove him or her from that environment and raise it with love and genuine care instead of fear and basic child-rearing techniques!" Jane barked.

Kairee facepalmed and gestured to Jane. "We're not looking to _indoctrinate_ the poor thing, we just want him, or her, to grow up away from the Templars. They're all going to want the child to kill Assassins and they're going to get violent and trigger-happy on the discipline to accomplish their goal! It only makes sense the child would grow up to fight for the Brotherhood!"

"Yes, but you have planted the seeds of your dangerous ideology in the child's mind! He will think he has a choice when he does not!" Miranda replied, pointing an accusatory finger at Kairee.

Wrex and Skarn had stayed out of the fight, and for good reason. They noticed the Salarian fuming.

**_"ENOUGH!"_** Mordin boomed, slamming a hand on his workbench. All eyes were on the Salarian scientist. **"You both threaten to plague a child with unrealistic expectations and dangerous ideologies! Not healthy! Mother's blood-pressure reaching a spike! Child may be in danger! Only shouting to make a damn point!"** he cried, jabbing a finger viciously in the direction of a vital-sign-monitor screen, **"Assassins wish to raise child to fight Templars unaware of violation of their own philosophy! Templars wish to raise child to fight Assassins within their philosophy with the intention to work with abuse as a vitriolic means to an end! Both factions, dangerous for a child! Will take the child to an orphanage or Clan Urdnot!"**

"Why Clan Urdnot? Why not Jurdon, its mother's clan?!" Irzia exclaimed.

"Equivalent to presenting child to Templars!" Mordin fired back, "Urdnot Assassin supportive, but adherant to Krogan customs! Child will be allowed to choose Clan upon coming of age!"

Wrex smiled and nodded, before grinning devilishly at Irzia, happy that he won in the end. He chuckled to himself and took his leave.

"And today, we learned that a silver tongue is valuable, but Silence is Golden…" John said, sighing and shaking his head before following Wrex out of the lab.

Jane and Miranda left for the briefing room with Skarn in tow, to figure out what to do with him. If Jane had her way, Skarn would be held for questioning by the Brotherhood, and if Miranda had _her_ way, Skarn would be released.

Kairee and Alexander were all that were left of the debacle, save for Irzia and Mordin. "Leave now," Mordin sighed, rubbing the sides of his head, still breathing sharply in and out of his nostrils, "Interfering with my work, raising both of our blood pressures, feel like I'm going to pop an artery…"

Alexander and Kairee stepped out of the lab, meeting in the Armory. One look at Jacob said it all: they wanted to be alone for a moment. Jacob nodded and left the armory, headed for the Bridge. "Did you really believe that was a smart thing to say?" Kairee asked, a hand on her hip.

Alexander grew flustered, swinging his hands around like a confused monkey before placing them both on his hips and turning his back to Kairee. "You supported me!" he eventually whined, throwing his hands up and letting them fall back to his sides.

"Only because; 1. I love you, 2. I didn't want you to be alone in that argument, 3. I'm an Assassin as well," Kairee replied, rolling her eyes.

Alexander turned on his heels to face his girlfriend. "So you don't actually believe it'd be best to take the child away from the Templars?"

"Honestly, the _best_ thing to do is to go with Mordin's suggestion," Kairee said, lifting an arm to gesture towards the door leading to the laboratory.

"Then you should have just said that!"

"Everyone had ideas that held weight. I just gravitated towards my own team is all. I don't strictly believe we should take the child for our own gain."

Alexander sighed into a facepalm. "Fine, fine! We'll pass the opportunity up! But where are we going to send Irzia?"

"We can take her to the Brotherhood to be held there. Camp Urdnot isn't secure enough to handle a Jurdon invasion to take Irzia back, and giving her to Cerberus will just land her back in her clan's arms. We're _not_ keeping the baby though, and that's only assuming it actually _lives_!" said Kairee. "We'll keep an eye on the Grandmaster until then, though, okay?"

Alexander nodded and took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "I'm sorry. I'm just… agitated, I haven't had anything to eat today, I've gotten into a fight with Kaidan over my past assassination contracts, two Mexican Standoffs, got choked by Garz, and expended almost all my energy on Eagle Sense and strenuous overuse of my biotics. I need food, and some sleep…" he explained. Kairee approached him and gave him a hug, "kissing" him on the cheek.

"Alright, I won't make you wait any longer, you go recover, mmkay?" she said as Alex kissed her on her own cheek.

"Sure thing, darling."

The two accompanied each other at the elevator parted ways between floors. Alexander went to the mess hall and Kairee went to visit her mother and chat with her down in engineering.

The mission had been stressful, but this was only a vague taste of the trials ahead.


	10. IT'S A TRAP!

**Sutori-Artifex back with another chapter of Masscreed! A notice. The Suicide Mission poll will be concluded with this chapter's posting. I'll give it a little bit more time, since this chapter should have sent out emails/notification blips telling you guys that I released chapter 10. Go to my main profile, check out the poll up top, click, "vote now" and vote away.**

**Also… The story shall be extended by another chapter. I made the mistake of accidentally counting out the Collector Ship Mission which I also forgot had a five-mission timer, which I exceeded.**

**Horizon Samara/Tali Thane Loyalty Missions a Ton Ashley Kaidan Alexander and Kairee Wrex.**

**So, there's been a change of plans. This chapter will detail the Collector Ship mission, and Chapter 11 will deal with the Apprentices. I am sorry for any confusion I may have caused. :)**

**This Chapter will feature a first glimpse into the Animus v5.7 and will offer an skippable segment near the end of the chapter featuring Eldar Koslov, the first notable ancestor in Alexander Clarke's lineage. Because I wanted this chapter to put the Assassin OCs off to the side (I know how OCs can be sometimes…), only Canon characters will be used for primary events in this chapter. HOWEVER, if you still wish to see the Animus freak out ala Collectors, you can read the Animus segment. You don't have to, though. Just a warning if you're A.) Tired of all the OCness, 2.) Not okay with the Animus being involved in a chapter, 3.) Itchy about game canon, and the way the Animus Genetic Memory Viewer is supposed to work.**

* * *

**_Normandy SR-2,_**** 2185**

"Patching the Illusive Man through, Commander," Joker said to John as the door to the Briefing Room opened, and the table descended into the floor. John stepped into the dead center of the room and a scanning beam sweeped his body.

The Illusive Man had lit another cigarette. He turned to John. "Shepard, we caught a break," he said, "I intercepted a distress call from a turian patrol. They stumbled upon a Collector ship beyond the Korlus system. The turians were wiped out, but not before they crippled the Collector vessel. I need you to board that ship and get some hard data on the Collectors. Find us a way to get to their homeworld."

John blinked. "A turian patrol took out a Collector ship? How?"

"The hull is intact, so reports indicate," TIM replied, "but all systems are offline. They _could_ be making repairs as we speak. I am _not_ saying it won't be dangerous, but we can't just let this opportunity slip away!"

"You sure this is legit?" John inquired.

"Information is my **weapon**, Shepard. It's good."

"Send me the coordinates, and we'll take care of it."

"Already sent. Once you're aboard the ship, establish an uplink with EDI. She'll mine their data for information regarding the Omega 4 Relay. Good luck, Shepard," TIM ordered.

As John reached to hang up, TIM stopped him.

"Shepard. I am aware of your actions on Tuchanka. You are holding the Grandmaster and the Vindicator, yes?" he added.

"I don't know what you're talking about," John lied.

"Do not lie to me, Shepard. The Templars you took off of Tuchanka. The Order would like them back. So long as Skarn hasn't told you anything important about the Krogan cell, I'll personally order Garz not to pulverize him. He'll be treated well on the return journey."

So he knew. "Why the hell do you keep sending them after us? Do you not know that it jeopardizes the mission?" asked the Commander, who was righteously pissed with TIM's logic.

"The Assassin… the full-ranker, Mr. Clarke? Yes, him. The two of you bonded on Palaven when I ordered the abduction of Ms. Antar, and she was heartwarmed by your willingness to allow the _Normandy_ to land on Palaven despite Cerberus flagging. All just for her, no? It's strengthened team resolve, and has shaken the Assassins up in the process. I warned Irzia about your arrival on Tuchanka ahead of time, I'll be gracious enough to tell you that," TIM explained, taking a long, hard draft of his cigarette after that first half of his elucidation. He then continued. Blowing smoke from his mouth, he said, "She didn't have many guards because she _knew_ that you'd slaughter them all. She went with you willingly knowing she couldn't be assassinated."

John narrowed his eyes. "What are you planning?"

TIM scowled in response, "That is for the Order to know, and for the Brotherhood to squirm and writhe in their struggle to comprehend. Until Revelation Day hits them square in the jaw, I will not discuss this Templar-Assassin war any further with you. Be careful, Shepard, with who you align yourself with," TIM chuckled, "In the end, it'll all be clear, and you will have chosen the proper side. You will not discuss this matter with the Assassins on board the _Normandy_. EDI will promptly alert me if you do, and you will be dealt with. Have I made myself clear, Shepard? What's that? Yes, crystal clear? Perfect. Good luck with the Collectors."

TIM hung up before John could get another word in, edgewise.

John pondered the meaning of that final piece of information. He then turned on his heels, and left to prepare for the Collector Ship.

* * *

**Korlus System, 2185**

The Normandy flies by, the Collector Ship coming into view. "That thing is _massive!_" Joker said, truly awed by the sheer scale of the vessel. "How the _hell_ did the turians take _that_ out?"

In the bridge, John and Jane stood silent, having nothing to say in reply.

The _Normandy_ approached, and EDI informed the Commanders Shepard. "Ladar scans do not detect any hull breaches on the side facing us. I detect no mass effect field distortions. It appears the Drive Core is offline."

"Rendez-vous in 30 seconds, Commander. Good luck out there," Joker said, keeping a vigilant watch over the consoles.

Meeting the Commanders in the Cargo bay were Mordin Solus, Garrus Vakarian, Tali'zorah, and Jacob Taylor. Off to the side, the Assassins congregated to send them all off. "Alex," John said, approaching the Assassin, "You're not coming with?"

"Miranda's keeping me behind. We've got to finish up a Memory Sequence with Eldar. He's just about finished his training, and Ezio's gone off to Masyaf with Sofia Sartor, so Miranda's getting really pushy about finishing the Sequence," Alexander explained, laughing at his misfortune. "Since Mordin insisted on going with you guys to check out the Collectors, Chakwas is taking his role."

Kairee held onto his arm tenderly. She then spoke, saying, "I would normally go with, but _mother_ wanted me to stay behind. She finally wants to sit down and chat about Alex while he's busy in those memories." She jabbed a thumb towards Coracia, her mother, who was casually sitting atop a crate adjacent to a barrel Zaeed Massani was sitting on. The two seemed to be getting along.

Jane laughed and patted Alex on the shoulder, "Alright, we'll send back postcards, if you want them," she said with a sly smirk. Alexander rolled his eyes and made a gesture to shoo them away.

Jacob jogged up to the Commanders and chortled briefly, "Thanks for inviting me, John, I almost thought you'd forgotten me!"

"You? Never. Alright, everyone, pack into the shuttle, let's move!" Jane shouted. John ruffled her hair affectionately and stepped onto the Kodiak. He was followed by the composite squad and the shuttle left the hangar.

They boarded the Collector Ship, landing in a small breach. The squad of six hopped out and scanned their perimeter.

"I just _love_ what they've done with the place," Garrus quipped.

"It absolutely reeks in here, it's coming through my filters. Blegh," Jane commented.

Mordin was like a kid in a candy store, examining the walls and egg-cluster-like lighting on the ceiling. "Fascinating. Resembles insect hives!" he said, looking up in awe.

"Fitting for those bug-faces to make hives out of their ships," Jacob snickered. The team moved forward, finding an empty, steaming pod like the ones on Horizon.

EDI's voice was heard in their helmets or earpieces. "Shepards, I've compared the ship's EM signature to known Collector profiles. This is the vessel you encountered on Horizon," she said.

John whistled. "Those defense turrets must have done enough of a number on the ship as to loosen it up for the turians," he said.

"These pods," Garrus said, running a hand across one. "The missing colonists may be aboard, if they're still alive."

"…no," Tali said, shaking her head. She pointed over to the right. A mound of something she suspected were bodies. Walking up, her fears were confirmed.

"Horrible," Mordin scoffed, "despicable. Uh-unacceptable!"

A mound of eviscerated, human corpses, paled and swollen in death lay before the squad. A few bodies and their respective limbs and heads were strewn about every which way.

"Why the hell would they do this? I mean, they're going to capture us, why are they just going to let us rot?"

"Test subjects from Control Group," Mordin said, sniffling. "Discarded after tests were over."

"There are worse things than death," said John Shepard. He stayed silent for a few seconds with his head bowed, almost as though he were praying, "like being test subjects for twisted aliens…"

"This was wrong. Inhumane!" Mordin muttered. "Even if Collectors needed to kill for experiments… could have ended lives painlessly."

"You're probably right," Garrus sighed, "Doesn't feel that much better, though."

They pressed on, trying their damnest to ignore the piles of bodies on the way. They discovered a miniature laboratory; just a terminal, and operating pods. Jacob peered into a pod. "Not only are they experimenting on humans… they experiment on their own!" he gasped. Jane approached the terminal and forwarded some hard data to EDI.

"…analysis complete," EDI eventually said. "The Collectors were running baseline genetic comparisons between their species and humanity."

"…similarities? I doubt they found anything," John murmured, shrugging indifferently.

"I lack a hypothesis on their motivations. All I have are preliminary results. They reveal something remarkable."

"Oh hell no," Jacob said, jumping the gun, "If they're supposed to be the creators of mankind or some bullshit…"

EDI cleared her synthetic throat and Jacob shut up. "…a Quand-Strand genetic structure, identical to traces collected from ancient ruins. Only _one_ race is known to have this structure: The Protheans."

_Protheans!?_

"My… God…" John said, stepping away from the pods and terminal. "The Protheans… they never vanished. They're working for the Reapers, now!"

"These are no longer Protheans, Shepard. Their genes show distinct signs of extensive genetic rewrite. The Reapers merely repurposed them to suit their needs."

Jane quizzically blinked. "You'd think somebody would have picked up on this by now…"

"No one has had an opportunity to study a Collector genetic code in this detail," EDI replied, "I have already matched two thousand alleles to recorded fragments. This Collector likely descends from a Prothean colony in the Styx Theta cluster. But, there are signs of alteration. Three fewer chromosomes. Reduced heterochromatin structure. Elimination of superfluous "junk" sequences."

A sense of revulsion dawned on the Shepards and their squad. "The Reapers didn't wipe out the Protheans," John began.

"They turned them into monsters, and enslaved them," Jane finished.

"They're working for the Reapers, now," Tali sighed.

"Right. So we have to put them down," Jacob chimed in.

"No species should have to suffer through that…" Garrus bemoaned.

The squad carried on. Through the dark hallways and past the pulsing, writhing walls, through the stench of decay. If one was told to imagine Hell as a place, this would fit the description.

Jacob noticed a red light on John's helmet. "Sir? There a… uh, light, on your head."

"I'm recording. Been recording since we found the empty pods. Figured there's no better method of showing somebody what something was like, than to record the horror yourself," John replied, cradling his shotgun close.

The group stumbled upon a weapon's cache. Jane crouched down by the pile and rummaged through the weaponry.

"Assault Rifles… Shotguns… Sniper Rifles…" she murmured, shifting through guns.

"…sis, what the hell are you doing?" John asked his sister.

Jane picked up a Revenant assault rifle. "Who calls dibs?" she said.

John gawked at the machine gun. He already knew how to fire shotguns, and sniper rifles were never good for Vanguards. Wrex brought a cache of M300 Claymores aboard, so there was no need for those. He put away his shotgun and reached out for the beauty of a gun, taking it it in his hands.

An M98 Widow Rifle. Jane held it up, and as soon as she did so, she could _swear_ that she heard Garrus _squeal_ slightly under his helmet. The turian reached out like a child after a lolipop and delicately took the Widow sniper-rifle from Jane. "I love you," he said to Jane, accepting his present giddily.

"I love you too, big guy. Consider that a late birthday present," Jane replied with a stifled laugh.

The rest of the guns were left alone, and the squad pressed forward. Looking up, Mordin gawped at the ceiling, which was swamped with pods. "…wonder how many are full… must be hundreds of pods," he whispered with a shudder.

"Too many," Jane growled.

"I detect no signs of life from the contents of the pods. It is probable the victims died when the ship lost primary power."

"Damnit. We can't even rescue them," Jacob groaned.

The ceilings dripped with viscous goop that drenched the floors below, coating the walls, pods, and bodies. The intermingling pongs of death, slime, and fuel almost drove Jacob to vomit, while making the rest of the team mildly nauseated.

Joker's voice came on over the comms. "Commander, you gotta hear this!" He said, "On a hunch, I told EDI to run an analysis on this ship!"

EDI said in addendum, "I compared the EM profile against data recorded by the original _Normandy_ two years ago. They are an _exact_ match."

John's face fell to an infuriated grimace. "The same _damn ship_ dogging me for two years, and the one that _killed_ me?! Coincidence? **I THINK NOT!**" he cried.

Tali patted his shoulder, "We're here now, and we're going to get them back for what they did," she said. That reassured John, and he took a deep breath, orally, as to not inhale the dreadful odor.

"Something… doesn't add up, Commander. Watch your back in there."

Climbing up a steep incline, the main chamber of the cruiser was revealed to Shepards and co. Hundreds of yards up, on the ceiling, and along the circular walls, were billions of pods, some filled, some not. "Unbelievable," Mordin whispered.

"It looks like they could have enough pods to empty the _Terminus Systems_ and _still_ not fill them all!" Tali said. Just to feel a bit safer, she pumped her shotgun and checked the thermal clip.

"They're going to target _Earth_…" Garrus predicted.

Hell no. The Shepards glared at the pods, then to each other. "We're going to stop them before they do."

"Over there," Tali said, "It looks like some kind of… control panel?"

"Lack of Collectors odd," Mordin mumbled, "Suggest caution."

"Yeah, this is really getting' Ghost Shippy at the moment. Something's not right, Commander," added Jacob, who gripped his hand-cannon just a bit more firmly.

Jane activated the console, seeing as how she was the most technically adept of the two Shepards. "EDI? I'm setting up a Bridge between you and the Collector Ship. See if you can find anything useful from the data banks."

EDI took the connection. "Data mining in progress, Shepard."

On board the _Normandy_, Joker and EDI watched the columns of data fall. Eventually, static overtook one screen, then the next, then the next. An image of the Collector General appeared in blood-red on EDI's holo terminal.

"Uh, that can't be good," Joker muttered.

An explosion of data rocked the console on the Collector Ship, staggering Jane.

After recovering from the initial shock, the rest of the squad looked about to see data terminals rising up from within tubes around the room they were in. John put a hand to the ear of his helmet, "Everyone's alright, Joker," he said, "What just happened?"

"Major power surge. Everything went dark but we're back up now."

"I managed to divert the majority of the overload to non-critical systems. Shepard it was not a malfunction. It was a trap."

The platform began to float upwards with a low whirring sound, spinning slowly counterclockwise as it lifted. As it began to move sideways, the squad had a bit of trouble keeping to their feet. "We need a little help here, EDI," Jane requested.

"I am having trouble maintaining connection. There is someone in the system."

"What? Damnit!" John said. He had a concern come to mind, "What about Alexander, are they in the Animus with him or something?"

Tali blinked under her facemask. "That's ridiculous. There's no way they could infect that machine, it's not connected to the _Normandy, _is it?"

"…it is," Mordin replied, "Not an engineer… still, Collector virus could infect Animus. What it does? Unsure."

EDI called back, "Miranda is attempting to rouse him from the Memory Sequence. I have live feed in background while I attempt to deal with the problem. He is currently stuck in the Memory Sequence. The Collectors are preventing desynchronization, and have openly attacked Constantinople. Alexander is understandably confused, and the capabilities of the Animus's VI software are being heavily taxed as simulated civilians and historical figures are realistically reacting to the attacks," she explained.

"That must feel surreal," Garrus jested as the platform the group was standing on collided with several other hexagonal, floating platforms. They all tumbled forwards onto the next platform.

Another platform was veering around a chitonous "mountain" and was making its way towards the squad's platform.

Garrus readied his Widow rifle and took careful aim. He fired off a shot and nailed a Collector soldier right in the head, cracking it open like a melon. He cried out, both in excitement and from the insane recoil.

Several _more_ platforms began flying in as the squad dropped the drones and a scion, packing another group of drones and scions. "EDI, _get us out of here!_" Jane cried, throwing a biotic warp onto a shielded Collector.

"I am simultaneously fighting Collector firewalls in over 8,000 nodes, plus 1,000 in the Animus systems. I am currently tasked to capacity, possibly beyond."

Meanwhile, while EDI was dealing with those firewalls, the squad sought cover from the hail of bullets the Collectors fired. Tali activated her assault drone to fly over and distract the Collectors. This bought Garrus much needed time to fire a concussive-explosive shot over cover, into the center of the Collector gathering, sending drones flying off the platforms. John hefted his new Revenant on top of the half-wall serving as cover and spewed bullets into the Scions while Jacob laid down the biotic hurt, with Mordin incinerating the Scions' armor.

Eventually, victory was had for the heroes, and the link to the _Normandy_ was reestablished. "I have regained control of the platform, Shepard," EDI said.

"I knew you wouldn't let us down, EDI," John replied, smiling under his helmet.

"I always work at optimal capacity."

"Apparently that capacity is over 9000," Jacob quipped.

"Goddamnit, Jacob," Jane said, perpetuating the joke. EDI's avatar dipped back into the console, vanishing and raising the platform up and away. "Did you get what we needed?"

"I found data that could help us successfully navigate the Omega 4 Relay," EDI said, "I have also found the 'turian' distress call that served as a lure for this trap. The Collectors were the source. It is unusual."

"Seems logical to me that they would've sent the original message as bait," Jane replied, shrugging.

"Yeah, if there's anything that can lure you in, it's a cry for help," jibed Jacob, who received an elbow in the rib from Garrus.

"No, it is unusual because turian emergency channels have secondary encryption. It is corrupted in the message," EDI continued, her avatar reappearing. "It is not possible that the Illusive Man would believe the distress call was genuine."

"How are you so sure?" Jacob asked.

"I found the anomaly with Cerberus detection protocols. _He_ wrote them."

Joker's eyes widened. He calmed down and turned to EDI's avatar on the _Normandy_. "He sent us into a trap?! Why would he do that if he _knew_ it was an elaborate ruse?"

"We don't have time to throw blame around," Jane sighed, "We'll question him when we're out."

John grinded his teeth. That's twice today. First, the Templars and Tuchanka being a set-up. Coupling that, Kairee's captivity was a ploy to encourage Assassin cooperation with Cerberus and the Order. And now? TIMmy sent the _Normandy_ into an obvious trap. He was going to have a _stern_ talking to TIM when returned.

"Behavior within norms for Cerberus. Not unexpected," Mordin admitted.

"Uh, Commander? We got another problem! The Collector Ship is powering up!" Joker cried. Lighting fixtures around the cylindrical Collector Ship's interior began to flicker on, and the tell-tale whirring began. "You need to get out of there before their weapons come online! I'm NOT losing another _Normandy_!"

"I do not have full control of their systems, I will do what I can," EDI announced. "Sending coordinates for Shuttle Extraction."

With that, John and Jane took off running. "Come on, let's move!" they shouted in unison. Their team made haste to follow the Shepards. An ambush of Collector Drones stood in their way. Both parties halted, in a sort of standoff. The Shepards hesitated only because the Collectors had been hesitating for several seconds now. One of them began to twitch as their eyes began to glow. It was lifted off the ground, flesh violently pulsating as it ripped open with shining, yellow cracks. It thrased about as a deep, dark, monotonous voice boomed.

_"Assuming DI-RECT, control…"_

"Great. Harby made it to the party…" Jane sniggered.

"Harby? Ugh. Nevermind. Open fire!" John cried, letting loose with his Revenant. He was _loving_ that thing right now. Rounds of ammunition hammered Harbinger's barrier as Jane warped them, bringing them down. Garrus fired a concussive round into a small swarm of drones, blowing them away. Tali overloaded the last bits of Harbinger's barrier and Mordin incinerated his armor. The resulting tech explosion disintegrated Harbinger's host body. Jacob threw a biotic-pull towards the regrouped drones who had succeeded in dropping his shields.

"Gravity's a meeeaaan muthah, huh? That'll teach you to stop groupin' up on me!" he called out, taunting the Collectors, which he skillfully killed with a few shots from his pistol. A total of five Collector drones were killed by the time he holstered his pistol.

Garrus and John gave him a nod of approval, with the latter whistling at the man's accuracy with a handgun. Jacob chuckled and followed the others further into the Collector Ship, where they dealt with a similar ambush in a similar manner.

They stomped down a ramp leading to a spacious room… without Collectors… "I'm opening a door on the far side of the room," EDI's voice called out, as said door opened to reveal husks.

"What the?! Husks?! Here?!" Tali cried, remembering all too well the husks the Geth had made two years ago.

"No problem!" John shouted, putting away his Revenant, taking his Eviscerator out and biotic-charging into one husk, sending it sprawling away before aiming and firing the head off of another. He flipped his gun in the air, caught it by the barrel, and swung it like a bat into the throat of a husk that had tried to lunge at the Commander. It flipped back over its heels and hit the floor, crown-first, in a "scorpion" position, its heels tapping its head before the husk flopped onto its chest. He spun the gun on his finger by the trigger guard and gripped the handle. He executed the husk.

Another had tried to throw itself onto John's back, but was promptly shot dead in the neck by Garrus's Widow rifle.

"Scoped it, dropped it," Garrus said, reloading, "Line me up another!"

At that moment, Jane squeaked and hauled ass back into cover, shouting out about a "Praetorian."

Oh no.

John burst into a run, dolphin-diving over chitin-coated crates to cover. Garrus fired a round into the barrier of the Praetorian and joined his Commanders behind the crates. Jacob, Mordin, and Tali were forced to retreat up the ramp from which they came as the Praetorian flew overhead. The Commanders and Garrus switched sides of the crates as soon as the Praetorian moved over them. Bullets struck them in the shields and their heads snapped around to behold a fireteam of drones storming the room. Garrus reloaded and took aim. John threw a shockwave across the ground, watching it pulse as it exploded underfoot of the drones. A Widow round popped the head off of one drone as it flew away. Jane drew her akimbo-wield N7 Hurricanes, somersaulting over cover to chase down the Praetorian.

By the time she arrived, its barrier was down and it looked like it was taking a beating. Mordin incinerated it, and it began to glow purple, recharging shields, possibly.

Jane cursed and dove backwards into the dust as swirling energy formed a bubble around the Praetorian. It exploded, knocking Jacob and Mordin into the walls and tripping Tali into a faceplant as she turned to run.

John arrived, and cried out in rage when he saw Tali hit the dirt, mask-first. He jumped into the air, boosting himself forwards and upwards on his biotics, landing on the Praetorian's back. He began unloading his shotgun into the top of the monstrosity, breaking its barrier. He flicked his wrist; the blade given to him by the Apprentices would come in handy. His fist exuded clouds of electric blue "flames", and he thrust the slender blade into the top of the Praetorian. An electrical charge was sent into the Praetorian, stunning it and resulting in ferocious convulsions. It couldn't recharge like this!

"Take the shot! Everyone! At once!" He roared, throwing his shotgun down and drawing his backup pistol, an M77 Paladin. He held it over the hole made by the blade and began firing into it. Garrus popped another Widow round out, hammering the Praetorian's armor. Mordin fired another Incineration module, Jacob threw a Pull into the leg of the Praetorian, yanking it away and causing the already juddering monster to expose its underbelly and husk heads for Tali. When the Praetorian began charging its beams, Tali defiantly picked up her shotgun and blasted the heads in the Praetorian's maw. Jane unleashed hell-in-bullet-form from her SMGs.

It was essentially just abusive overkill, at this point. The Praetorian screamed out and shortly died after a finishing blow from John: He jumped up and slammed his entire body _through_ the softened Praetorian's shell with a biotic charge. He military-crawled out from the carnage and shell fragments, to the amusement of his twin sister, who just snickered at all the Praetorian gore that coated his armor, offering her hand to pick him up.

With the fight overwith, the squad continued through the ship. A locked door.

"…EDI? We have a problem," Jacob said, squinting in mild disbelief at the door.

"This is just a setback," EDI reassured the team. "Firewall 3217 is in the way; I am busy rerouting commands through Firewall 7164. Please hold…"

Garrus sighed and shook his head, "Alright but if she starts playing Elevator Music, I'm done."

John hummed a little diddy which, to Jane and Garrus sounded like the Toreador March. "…you watched the turian version of _Carmen_ didn't you?" Jane asked him, a tone hinting at incredulity.

"…I watched it with Garrus and Joker, okay?" John snapped. A door on the opposite wall was opened by EDI.

"There. That's where we came in," Garrus said, pointing down to the terminal with the operating pods.

"Go the other way. They likely know where we came in from and have it well protected," John ordered, running in the opposite direction. Jane and Tali ran mini-scans over the technology along the pathway and salvaged it as the others trudged on.

Yet _another _ambush came out to jump at our heroes. Drones flew in assisted by abominations and husks. Garrus and John stood back to offer support with their heavy-hitting weapons, the Widow and the Revenant, respectively.

_"Di-rect intervention is necessary."_

Harbinger. Again. He assumed direct control over a particularly hard to kill Collector. He took a defensive approach and moved back into cover. Throwing a Grenade, he managed to wound Garrus, Mordin, and Jacob as the lattermost two were passing by Garrus to advance on the Collectors.

Tali hid behind a column of chitin and offered assistance via Chiktikka vas Paus.

John cursed, loudly, as his team was wounded by the grenade. His Revenant ran out of clips; he spent his last thermals wanton on this machine gun. He put it away and flicked his wrist, rushed Harbinger, and flushed him out of cover, swinging his arm with the intent to strike the possessed Collector. Harbinger drew out two chitinous tonfa blades and twirled them in his hands, lifting one up to strike John's arm, parrying the attack. He swipes his other blade and hits John in the side.

The Commander front-kicks Harbinger in the chest of his host, staggering him. Jane stayed back with Tali to finish off the other drones and deliver Medigel aid to the wounded teammates. They all managed to brush off the grenade with a little dulled pain and some medigel to patch the injuries.

Meanwhile, Harbinger continued his 1v1. _"You will know pain, Shepard," _he said, striking John in the head with his elbow. _"I know you feel this,"_ he added, kneeing the Commander in the gut. John stumbled back and shook his head. He threw a feint punch towards Harbinger's left, then withdrew and stabbed him in the throat. As Harbinger's host began to disintegrate, he left a parting remark. _"If I must destroy you, Shepard, I will."_

John made a spitting sound effect (without actually spitting) to show his indignation towards Harbinger as his blade retreated into the wristguard of his hardsuit. That thing came in _handy_.

"Uh, Commanders? I hate to rush you all, but those weapons are about to come online! You best double time it," Joker announced over the comms, "Y'know, so we can _leave_ before they blow the _Normandy_ in half. Again."

As told, the squad double timed it, only to turn a corner and be set upon by a horde of husks. Three of them tackled Jacob to the ground, wailing away at him. Fortunately, he created a biotic barrier around him, the expansion of which pushed the husks off of him. He quickly shot them down with his pistol and rejoined the others, who were busy traipsing through the husks, pushing, shooting, and stabbing as many as they could. John unleashed a biotic nova, clearing the way. A few managed to get up, and in an effort to conserve what dwindling ammunition they had, the squad just sprinted ahead, chased down by the horde that was steadily gaining reinforcements.

"We're out of time, Commander, we have to go!" Joker cried, nervously hitting buttons and haptic-interface keys in desperate anxiety, checking systems with a rabid fervor.

"You heard the man," John said, "Everybody onto the _Normandy_, let's go, go, GO!" he shouted, turning back to face the onslaught of husks while the rest of the squad jumped into the shuttle.

"John, what are you doing?!" Jane cried.

John's right arm ignited with biotic energy. He drew back a punch and let it fly, a burst of biotics surging forth and obliterating the bodies of the husks. Strained, John held his helmet and stumbled back, running towards the shuttle. Tripping and falling into it, the shuttle closed its doors and departed for the _Normandy_, landing inside just in time.

Lights and systems were reactivating across the Collector Ship. "Strap in people!" Joker boomed. "We're gonna have to make them _work for it_ this time around…"

John and Jane immediately took the elevator up to the CIC Deck and were joined by Miranda, the latter of whom had made it up from the Crew Deck to oversee the human crew's toil to optimize ship functions. "Where's Alex?" John shouted, worried.

"Still in the Animus! We couldn't flush the Collectors out!"

They hurried to the Bridge, only to blunder once the Collector Ship fired its beam at the _Normandy_, causing the ship to rock. "We can't dodge this guy forever, EDI! Get us the hell out of here!"

"Specify a destination, Mr. Moreau."

Goddamn it.

"ANYWHERE THAT'S NOT HERE!" he screamed, eyeing the AI's avatar, enraged.

"Very well. Engaging Mass Effect Core," the AI replied.

The _Normandy_ soon made the jump to FTL, outrunning the Collector Ship.

_**(I offer the opportunity to skip the below.)**_

* * *

**Animus-Simulated Constantinople, 1512 **

The Memory had gone swimmingly at first, Alexander thought. As Ezio and Sofia were out to find Altaïr's library in Masyaf, the Russian Assassin, Eldar Koslov, was left alone in Constantinople with Yerman Ragar, the man he was honored to call his best friend. The two were in the Grand Bazaar, the place (and the immediate surrounding area) that Eldar was assigned to, training to become a Den Leader. The two were chatting, curious as to what Ezio was up to in Masyaf. They wandered through the Bazaar, looking at the goods and luxuries available for sale.

Eldar approached a fine Qom-Persian rug, looking it over. "Yerman," he said, getting the Ottoman's attention. "Do you think this would look nice in the den?" His Turkish was flawless; a curious effect that took hold shortly after his arrival in the city. He had been thrown out of his homeland by a rogue, tyrannical nobleman and renowned Templar. Upon his arrival by boat he began to learn the Turkish language at an unnatural pace, learning the curves and edges of the grammar and able to understand entire phrases and sentences after hearing them only a few times. His ability was respected as a form of "Eagle Sense", which he also possessed, although it was vastly inferior to Ezio's. The only superiority his Sense had to Ezio's was the fragility of any lingual barriers.

The Ottoman Assassin casually strode up to the rug, blinking at it and looking it over. "I do like the Tree of Life motif," he remarked, smirking approvingly.

Eldar's vision flashed red. Alexander Clarke oversaw this and he felt a paroxysm take hold.

_Damnit, a desynchronization. What's going on?_

The air flashed red and a mechanical droning sounded off.

_"Attention, Clarke, Alexander. The Animus has detected a critical error; Mal-Mal-Mal-Malware Infection. Firewall co-co-co…" _the Animus VI, Oriana, called out. Only Alexander could hear it, of course; Eldar said nothing about the mysterious voice.

_"Error; system over-ererererererererererer…" _Oriana rapidly stammered, glitching in the creepiest of fashions.

_ **"ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL."**_

Oh Mother of God. Alexander immediately knew what was going on. The Shepards must have tripped a trap and gotten the _Normandy_ infected. Through the _Normandy_ they must have stumbled upon the _Animus_ and decided to look into the systems.

Eldar heard screams outside the Bazaar. "Eldar, what was that? I heard something," Yerman said, backhanding the Russian's shoulder.

_Why wasn't this damn sequence Desynchronizing!?_

"Wha? What did you hear?" Eldar replied, growing concern on his expression.

"I heard someone shout something in a strange language. It echoed through the Bazaar. People outside are screaming," Yerman explained, increasingly worried.

"What did it say?"

"Uh… it wasn't Turkish, or Russian… I think it was… English? AH-SOO-MING DIE-WRECKED CON-TROLL or something."

Eldar blinked at Yerman. The air flashed red again, three times, repeatedly.

_Oh **shit**, he's acknowledging Harbinger,_ Alexander thought.

Eldar rolled his eyes and brushed past Yerman, making his way outside. Turkish civilians were screaming and evacuating the area as a patrol of Collector Drones walked by. One got the idea to test the fragility of the simulation. It fired its rifle at a charging Ottoman Brute, shredding his heavy plate armor into twisted pieces of shrapnel. The mass-accelerated rounds of ammunition eviscerated his body, tearing stringy holes through him, the impact ripping his flesh, bones, and organs asunder. He dropped his axe and fell back on his back, into a pool of his own blood.

"Allah, help me!" Yerman squeaked, falling back behind a corner. The gunshots got the curiosity of other civilians yet to witness the Collectors. Their simulated intelligence finally registered a realistic response, after their processes recovered from their confusion. They began to scream and clear out from the area.

Eldar began to breathe heavily, ducking back behind a pillar. "What the hell are those things?"

"Spawns of Iblis. Is the trumpet about to blow?!" the very Muslim Yerman cried, squeezing his eyes shut and quietly praying to Allah.

_ They've seen COLLECTORS, from several hundred years into the future, shoot a guard down. WHY HAVEN'T I DESYNCHED YET?!_

_ …that's it! They've overriden the system for some reason, and inserted the likenesses of Collectors into the Memory. They're preventing a desynchronization from getting me out of here._

_ …are they trying to kill me within the Animus?!_

"Not sure, but I think we can kill them, if we're careful," Eldar said to Yerman, who gave him a look like he was insane.

Before Yerman could open his mouth, a mysterious, feminine voice spoke, in Turkish (that sounded English to Alexander). Her voice reverberated around the Bazaar as the world flashed red and began to waver, textures starting to crumble. Shops began to flash white, their cowering shopkeepers disintegrated into white light.

"I am currently combatting Collector Firewalls in over 1,000 nodes within the Animus. Alexander, I am accessing several Animus hack programs," the voice said.

"…who is Alexander?" Yerman whispered to himself.

"You now have full control over Eldar Koslov. I am attempting to access the invulnerability hack."

Eldar moved his arms and hands to test his movement. Yerman's eyes bulged as Eldar acknowledged the voice. His voice was his own, but he said something unusual. "Thanks, EDI," he replied.

"EDI?"

"Alright, I know this is confusing as hell to you, but you've been dead for a few hundred years and this is all a simulation," Eldar said. Yerman's eye twitched.

"That might explain the demons, and the voices… and the white holes, actually. I'm okay with this."

Oh, Yerman. Anyways. Alex-Eldar jumped out from cover and jumped up to a window from a construction rampart, using the drapes to pull himself up just a bit further. He ran on the rooftop, around to the Collectors that had begun to enter the Bazaar.

With a running start, Alex-Eldar leapt from the rooftop, flicked his wrist to reveal his hidden blade, and plunged it into the skull of a Collector, which thanks to his Eagle Sense, he knew had no barrier. It pierced the chitin with some difficulty, and killed the Collector on the spot. He stood up and fired a bullet from his hidden gun into another unshielded Collector. As a shielded Collector tried to smack him with its rifle, Alex-Eldar rolled to the side, drew his kilij, and slashed the Collector down at the knees. The shields were mildly damaged by the sword, and the Collector was tripped.

Yerman joined the fray and tackled another Collector, shouting "Allah" repeatedly and speedily as he wrapped his arms and legs around a Collector Captain that just happened to be possessed by Harbinger. Harbinger fell to the ground and rolled with Yerman as Alex-Eldar dealt with the drone he downed. He drew a contact explosive grenade and prepared to throw it down.

_"Invulnerability hack enabled. Attempting to wrest control of Oriana's systems from Harbinger to restore and end the Memory. Continue fighting, Mr. Clarke. You're almost out."_

Alex-Eldar threw the bomb onto the head of the Collector. The ceramic casing released the payload upon shattering. The explosion coated Alex-Eldar in Arabic gunpowder, but the explosive didn't harm him. He picked up a Collector rifle and aimed it at Harbinger. Letting the bullets fly, he hammered Harbinger with bullets as Yerman held him from behind in a perfect wrestling technique. The barrier shattered and Harby was down to his armor. He finally succeeded in throwing Yerman off of him, and the hapless Assassin tumbled into a nearby fountain with a pitiful yelp.

_"**I** am assuming control, now," EDI quipped as the Memory began to repair itself_.

Alex-Eldar attempted to throw a Biotic Warp, and even made the motions. Eldar had no Biotics, however. Alexander cursed under his breath and resorted to using another contact grenade. He threw it at Harbinger's chest and it detonated, severely damaging his armor. Alex-Eldar tossed the gun away and drew a dagger, running up to Harbinger. As he brought the dagger down, his throat and wrist were grabbed by the Collector. The two were locked in a struggle.

A gunshot sounded, and a wheel-lock bullet whizzed by Eldar's head and struck the Collector in one of the eyes. It disintegrated, and Alex-Eldar faceplanted into the wall, his dagger getting stuck in a crack in the wall.

Turns out, Ezio and Sofia came back earlier than expected. Upon hearing the commotion, he borrowed an Assassin's hidden gun, having left his in Masyaf.

_"Oriana's control over the Animus has been reestablished. Harbinger and the Collector firewalls have been cast out. Prepare for the jump to Faster-Than-Light, Mr. Clarke,"_ _EDI broadcasted._

_Oriana then spoke. "Ending the Memory. Have a Nice Day, Clarke, Alexander."_

Ezio's eyes bulged as he and Sofia looked up to the skies. The Assassin Mentor had only three words:

"What. The. F*ck?"

Cut to black.

* * *

**_Normandy SR-2,_**** 2185.**

Alexander woke with a start, spilling out of the Animus chair and rolling across the floor, bumping into a cart with monitors and wires on it. Kairee ran to his side and held him up, wrapping her arms around him and looking him over worriedly.

"Spirits, Alex, are you okay?!" she cried, looking Alex in the eye.

"That was **the** most bizarre thing I have ever done," he groaned in a _thick_ Russian-Turkish accent, holding his head.

Kairee just hugged him close, relieved that he was alive. She didn't even care that his abrupt departure from that accursed machine gave him an accent. Chakwas was horrified by the events that unfolded and was toiling ceaselessly over reports of Alexander's vital signs during the cyberattack.

Miranda and Mordin came stampeding down the stairs and knelt by Kairee and Alexander. Mordin looked him over while Miranda checked the monitors and process history for the source of the attack. "Can you tell me what happened?" Miranda asked.

"Are we safe from the Collectors?" Alexander said, still carrying that accent.

"Yes, we made the jump and are safe from their Ship, now what happened?"

"…Eldar and Yerman Ragar were buying a Qom rug in the Bazaar… the tell-tale signs of Desynch were showing up, and I heard screams… then _Yerman_ acknowledges Harbinger when the latter booms out about Direct Control Assumption," Alexander explained, "Collector Drones, or at least, viruses in the form of Collectors, attack us in the Bazaar. EDI gave me situational and bodily control over Eldar, accessed some hacks already present in the Animus to make me invincible. Yerman and I killed the Collectors, and Ezio arrived to shoot Harbinger dead…"

"Sounds like a dream from hell," Chakwas jibed, trying to lighten the mood as she and Miranda overlooked the recorded feed from the event.

"Collectors infected Animus. Inserted Collectors into simulated historical city. Capable of killing within Sandbox or Memory," Mordin murmured to himself. "Most fascinating. EDI, request scan of Animus. Must ensure no Collector programs remain inside."

"Already done, Dr. Solus."

"Good," Alexander said, his original accent returning slowly, "Let's pray that doesn't happen again."

They picked him up off the floor and carried him out of the Animus chamber. The crew had survived, and picked up valuable knowledge as to the key to the Omega-4 Relay…

* * *

**Sutori-Artifex, back with the post-chapter Author's Note: I don't have much to say here. Sorry, not sorry, about the Animus segment. I had fun writing that even if it was goofy/confusing ^_^**

**I just want to thank you all for staying with me on this journey. I want to give my community a name. To the people who have been following this story, and my profile, I want to call you all something. Something relevant to the Masscreed universe. Leave suggestions in the reviews.**

**I also want to announce that, I apologize sincerely if I may have snapped at any of you in reviews, or Private Messages. I've had a lot on my mind recently, I've had some trouble with school and tests, and I've been trying to improve not only my writing, but my schoolwork. I _hate_ algebra.**

**On top of that, I will be holding a Pre-Chapter Q&amp;A featuring characters from both this story and my Skyrim Fanfic, Nobleborn. Q&amp;A Chapters are not permitted by the guidelines, but nothing is preventing me from holding one in the Pre-Chapter Author Notes, followed by a legitimate chapter to a story.**

**If you have any concerns, questions, or things you want to say to my characters (or myself), leave them in a review. I ask that you write in proper English (you are excused if you are not a native speaker). The reviews posted on this story reflect the story's content and the community that follows and favorites it, in the eyes of a new viewer and/or potential follower. I LOVE getting reviews, as they tell me what needs work, what I've done right, and how I can improve the story even further. It also lets me communicate with you guys and gives me a window of opportunity to reply to you all and have conversations with you. So, shamelessly, I will ask for reviews. No, I am not a sellout or attention wh-e.**

**So with that, I leave you with this chapter and this long Author Note. Remember to leave a review, drop a favorite on this story, and follow me, or my story, for more updates! ALSO REMEMBER: The Suicide Mission Poll is still up there if you want to make some last second votes! Think it through! I'll be closing it TOMORROW!**


	11. Apprentices: Stolen Goods

**Sutori-Artifex back with another chapter of Masscreed! I'd like to apologize beforehand for the ninja hiatus. I've had a lot on my mind about whether or not I wanted to continue this fanfiction. Reading through it, I can kinda see where I'm screwing up. The canon characters aren't getting enough attention ala OC Favoritism and I'm trying to break myself away from it. Some of the situations fueling loyalty missions are kinda absurd in my opinion. I don't know if my continuity is holding up or not, but I feel like I made some big mistakes. I want to correct them. I also want to reward you guys for being followed and favorited for so long and for sticking through the hiatus. Here's some detail on my thought processes when making the Assassin OCs and A.U. elements.**

**This time we're diving into the very last loyalty mission chapter. I promise this one will be a good one. I spent a while preparing, thinking of what to do. So today, we'll be dealing with the Assassin Apprentices, Lora, Frederico, and Eleria. I haven't really established their personalities as much as I would have liked.**

**To be honest, Frederico and Lora were expendables from the start, but you guys seem supportive of them, despite their quirks. A sort of "Odd Couple" duo, the Brazilian and Volus were added for the sake of diversity in the Original Character group. I made them something of a "love-hate" couple as a joke, thinking I could get a quick laugh from it. The two of them are weaponsmithing prodigies in the making, spending a lot of time and some of the _Normandy_'s metal resources to create special hidden blades. They're essentially this story's equivalent of Leonardo da Vinci, making new schematics for the heroes to use. This chapter specifically details what happens when schematics for several special blades fall into the wrong hands. Chekov's Gun has been loaded. That's all I'm telling you.**

**Eleria T'Geya, the Asari sentinel, was, if you caught the first version of chapter two, supposed to be a fan-voted character. It was either her, a male Quarian soldier, or a female Salarian infiltrator. What few fans I had back then chose Eleria T'Geya for her well-roundedness in combat and personality. When I created the characters of Jurdon Skarn and Garz, I felt the need to create a Romeo/Juliet subplot. Plus, Asari-Krogan pairings were handled well in the games in my honest opinion ( Charr was so adorkable :3 ) and I wanted to give it a shot for the sake of testing my ability to write a strange Krogan character.**

**Alexander Clarke… Gary Stu as he might come off sometimes, was designed to be a powerful, leader-type character whose weaknesses are exemplified in his personality. While he may not seem challenged by the plot NOW, he's definitely got a lot coming for him in the near future. I needed a catalyst (terrible pun because we do not talk about that thing. Also In-Joke) for a much larger project ahead of me, which I'll show you guys once I'm done with the Omega-4 Story Arc. I designed the character to be kinda like a wine cellar. He's tough to get to if not invited, and what lies within only gets better and stronger with age. Although, handle him incorrectly and everything will turn into "vinegar," bitter and miserable. A full-ranked Assassin, he will fight and die for the Creed, but soon learns that fighting Templars is nothing compared to the horrors the Reapers have in store. He'll fall apart in 3…2…**

**I had to decide what his backstory was, though, and how he could be connected to noteworthy ancestors for ANIMUS experimentation. So that was a bit tough. **

**I wanna see how p!$$3d tumblr can get with me over the fact that he's a Handsome, Muscular, White, Blue-Eyed Male American protagonist. Come at me, SJWs.**

**Kairee Antar, the product of an imagination able to interpret the Book of Genesis from a scientific standpoint but unable to think of a good _name_, was my answer to the lack of Lady Turians in the Mass Effect Trilogy. When designing her, I had a lot to consider. Her name was originally Kailee, but I IMMEDIATELY thought of Kahlee Sanders and I threw that name out faster than Mordin Solus can talk. So in my infinite wisdom and intelligence I slapped on an asian accent and called it a new name. Ingenuity ladies and gentlemen. **

**After naming was complete I had to take a side. Like the design of female Sangheili (Elites) from the HALOverse, there are two schools of thought on what the females of the Turian species would look like. One, the more popular one so far, believes that female Turians A.) have crests either similar to males or somewhat different but existant, and B.) do not have mammary glands (breasts). The other, the less popular of the two, believe that female Turians have crests _and_ breasts (Lord smite me now for that horrid rhyme). There IS a middle-way party that claim they have breasts and no crests. That party however is the least popular of them all so I hear. Bioware seems to have taken that "Breasts No Crests" standpoint and made it canon so WHOOP-DEE-DOO. I aligned with the second standpoint I made that God-Awful rhyme by accident for. While I do respect and completely understand why Party A believes what they do, I decided to give a major minority some love. That, and it's pretty much canon thanks to Bioware, only I'm throwing on Crests/Fringes. It provided room for jokes earlier in the story (thanks to Kenneth Donnelly), can still be scientifically explained (though it might fall into the Squick category. Thank God Alexander doesn't care eitherway), and wasn't done for sexualization purposes. It's not like I wrote that she had a DD cup size or something along those lines. If I had, and I detailed that, this would've been a lemonfic by now, and since it's not, tough luck, horny 12 year olds of the world (If you have to know I imagined her with a modest C. I don't like divulging these little details without actually having it in the story, so consider this knowledge a luxury).**

**To counter Alexander's happier upbringing (his parents are still alive and still married unlike 90% of all protagonists in every story ever), Kairee played to the cliché of having a parent die. The other parent disowned her, but I decided to fix this over a good reconcilement conversation and the dead carcass of a Templar Grandmaster. Speaking of Coracia she has yet to receive that One-Shot love I've been promising you guys. Damn, let me get right on that (o_o)… Anyways, Kairee is the psychologically strong woman, who, despite having every reason to want revenge on the Human race, denounced petty revenge in her respect for an entire race. I originally depicted her as this bubbly, adorkable geek-girl for human culture, but she ended up getting to be a bit darker than originally intended. I just went with it. Being the psychologically stable one, Kairee is the woman on whose shoulders Alexander, the unstable one, can cry on.**

**Their relationship was born from three things. The sheer fact that the likelihood is so _low _given their backstories, I wanted to beat the expectations down… the fact that the two have a long history together and now, on the verge of dying horribly to the Collectors, are spending what they feel to be their last days together in love… and I like interspecies romances (but that's not important :p)**

**As for A.U. derp… well, there are two Shepards because I really didn't want to choose between Broshep and Femshep. I liked the idea that they could be siblings. As for why they're both Paragons? They worshipped each other as kids and the personalities of the other rubbed off of them. John can be a bit of a Paragade at times, but ultimately is a Paragon. Jane is just designed to be a sweetheart in this fic.**

**Ashley and Kaidan both survived because Two Shepards = Split the Team Up on Virmire. I wanted to see what an AU featuring the two would be like. I also didn't want to play favorites.**

**Wrex is on board because… Wrex. Just… _Wrex_. Do I need a reason when I can say "Assassins Are Good At Politics?" Well… maybe I do, but bear with me.**

**Joker being a YouTuber was a joke between me and some friends on this site, and the Let's Play B.S. was born from my desire to manifest it, if only to sate my subscribers on this site. It's only semi-canon. It's important when it needs to be important but the stuff he does doesn't always affect the main story. It can be referenced in one-shots or it can be made fun of in the main story, but other than that, it's not a huge deal. All in good fun. I had a lot of fun writing that Cards Against Humanity skit… both of those chapters. Last part's coming up soon. And I mean Blizzard's "Soon."**

**I've got a lot of Chekov's Guns to load and fire, a lot of characters to try and give equal treatment to, and a plotline to finish off. Sooo…**

**Oh well, I've blown enough of your time up with Out-Of-Story Expositionary C4. Enjoi.**

* * *

**_Normandy SR-2_**** (Docked to Citadel), 2185**

After the almost-disaster concerning the Collector Cruiser, the crew thought it safe to return to the Citadel and dock there for the night. Without the fear of any remaining Collector viruses messing with the ship, John Shepard was able to get a good night's rest.

That was, until, he heard a banging on his door, sometime in the small hours of the morning. "John, it's me, Alexander!" a voice called from behind the metal door.

With a groggy groan, John picked himself up and out of bed, waving the locked door open with his Omnitool. "What is it, something serious?"

Alexander walked hastily into the room, clearly stressed. He brushed his hands over his head, through his black hair, blinking rapidly. "They're… they're gone. All three of them. They must've escaped sometime during the night," he said.

"Who's gone, what happened?!" John said, becoming a bit panicked himself as he ran back to his closet to throw on some casual attire.

"Irzia, Skarn, and Garz. They all booked it during the night. Only Skarn managed to leave a note addressed to Eleria. I'm not even going to question that, I'm well aware he's sweet for her, but that's not the point. They easily could've stolen a lot of important equipment or data from the ship!" Alexander explained. He compulsively unsheathed and sheathed his hidden blades, itching to stab something in his fury.

"We're on the _Citadel_, they couldn't have gotten far, right?"

"I already alerted the Brotherhood, here. But they could be anywhere at this point."

"Alex, it's a pregnant female Krogan accompanied by two heavily armored guards. They should be easy as hell to spot," John said, consoling the Assassin.

Alexander sighed and tried counting to ten in his head, calming down over time. "You're right… whatever was stolen, we can get back… hopefully."

EDI's voice then broke the brief silence following his statement. "Commander, I was unable to access any live footage of their departure. I can't recollect anything that happened between the hours of 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM Universal Earth Standard Time."

"…Cerberus," John and Alexander muttered under their breaths in unison. Great minds think alike it would appear. "Anything else, EDI?" John inquired.

"Frederico Corado is in the middle of tearing up the armory at the moment looking for something. Mr. Taylor is attempting to stop him…" she said, then she paused. "Commander, Frederico and Jacob are currently in a biotic deadlock at the moment. Recommend you come down here."

John and Alexander both groaned and entered the elevator down to the CIC Deck. They turned right and entered the armory just in time for a rogue M8 Avenger to go hurling past John's head, firing into the wall once it hit the ground. He shouted out repeatedly, using his biotics to smash the deadlock between Frederico and Jacob, forcing them apart. The former cursed in Brazilian Portuguese, to the confusion of all three other members of the crew present. "What the _hell_ is going on in here?!" John, who had not had his morning coffee, barked.

"I'm just tidying up the armory, having finally had the chance to get to it, when Frederico blows in here and starts tossing shit around trying to find one of his damn datapads!"

"Those fucking Templars stole one of my datapads! Lora and I had been working on a special blade for over three weeks, and I kept the blueprints for three of them recorded on a datapad, which I explicitly remember leaving on the sniper rifle table!"

"What, perfecting that dumb tazer blade?" Jacob complained, giving him the evil eye.

"That was the last design. The one I'm scared of losing is… God, I don't want to say it, EDI might pass it to the Illusive Man!"

John sighed and placed his hand on Frederico's shoulder. "The Assassins are tracking down the runaways as we speak. They can't possibly get very far."

EDI again interjected. "Incoming communications request from a blocked address, Commander," she said, sounding a bit suspicious of the request.

Alexander quirked his brow. "Might be a Den Leader…" he mused.

John threw his hands up and shook them at the ceiling, before begrudgingly marching off to the Briefing/Communications room. "Patch me through!" he ordered as the briefing table receded into the floor.

"Make that two messages, sir. One is from the Illusive Man. Shall I patch them both in?"

"Give me the blocked request first!" he ordered.

The image of Master T'Lona appeared before him as he was scanned quickly by the ship's QEC system. "Shepard… I was hoping to speak to your Brotherhood representative… Mr. Clarke? Oh well, you are the Commander. I bring ill tidings," she explained, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Don't even have to guess: The Templars escaped?"

"It was a disaster. Those Krogan started a Goddessdamned firefight. C-Sec got involved shortly before Assassins arrived on the scene. It was a three-way deathmatch on the Zakera Ward. Two footpads were shot and killed by C-Sec and over seven C-Sec officers were gunned down, four by the Templars, three by our Assassins. Five dead civilians caught in the crossfire and eight wounded by a poorly tossed incendiary grenade. They escaped using a drop shuttle piloted by Templar Vindicator Lilis Nyxanni. They dropped a datapad, but it was wiped. The surviving Assassins got the bodies and the datapad before C-Sec could intercept," Master T'Lona explained, sighing deeply and holding her head miserably.

"That's terrible… you have any idea where they could be going?" asked John, who cracked his knuckles, eager to fight.

"Not a clue. We haven't been able to send out any ships to hunt them down. The entire station is on lockdown. Expect C-Sec to swing by your ship, I'll try to delay them, or contact Councilor Anderson to get you clearance to leave. We managed to track the data from the pad. It was indeed wiped from the datapad, but it wasn't destroyed; it was emailed out to a recipient in the Terminus systems. We tracked it using cookies."

"So it wasn't a very secure email. It couldn't have been sent to the Illusive Man or any other Grandmasters."

"That is a logical assumption, Shepard," the Asari Assassin said, pacing back and forth. "It could have been sent to a friend, or potentially to mercenaries in need of some new weapons…"

"I've seen the standard hidden blades in action. I know how deadly they can be even in this day and age. We can't risk letting our enemies stand between the _Normandy_ and the Collectors with special blades."

"…special blades?" Master T'Lona asked, perking a brow, "How are you aware of the contents of the datapad?"

"Apprentices Frederico Corado and Lora Baan were developing new hidden blade designs to pass the time on transit between missions. They must've left the datapad where the Templar captives could loot them."

"…intriguing. Recover them and tell me more about them, later. Anything else to report?"

"Apparently Jurdon Skarn, one of the Templar Vindicators responsible for the attack, left a note for Eleria T'Geya. It was _handwritten_ on paper in some archaic language, presumably Asari."

"…an intellectual Krogan, Templar at that. Well I'll be damned…"

"Hey, credit where credit's due…" John subtly admitted to himself, shrugging.

"Nothing is True, Everything is Permitted," Master T'Lona exclaimed, dropping the call.

The next caller was the Illusive Man.

"Shepard," he said, taking a puff of yet another cigarette.

"Tarlungs," John quipped, crossing his arms.

"I don't appreciate the namecalling, Shepard. Do not forget who restored you to life."

"Alright, 'Jesus', tell me then why EDI's cameras were offline when the Templars escaped from the _Normandy_?"

"An order issued directly from me. I'm not stupid, Shepard. Not nearly enough to trust you to release them yourself. I'm watching the reports from various Citadel news stations. It was a shame that the carnage occurred at all, and I will reprimand Garz, Lilis, and Skarn for their wanton massacring of civilians and C-Sec."

John growled, but smirked. "Yeah, your Templars are truly geniuses. They even remembered to take the Apple of Eden. Oh wait," he said… going Renegade, it seemed.

TIM's eyes widened, but the rest of his face and his voice remained deadpan. "…you would be right about that, assuming you were sarcastic about that… I haven't received the Sur'Keshian artifact…"

"Look, Illusive Man, this, on top of the Collector Cruiser being a blatant trap, I'm beginning to doubt your ability to guide us through this mission."

"I know what I'm doing," TIM replied, scoffing at Shepard. "You doubt me because you cannot comprehend my intentions. They're greater than you, and they're greater than me. If I need to _lie_ to you to get you to successfully complete this mission, I will _lie_ to you."

John scowled at TIM, but eventually relented. "This isn't over… but message me when you have anything new to report," he sighed, hanging up.

He hated working with that man, and he was _sure_ that most of the crew was on his side of the matter at this point. Even Miranda was beginning to have a couple of doubting words here and there when asked about the Cruiser incident.

He could practically feel the end of this mission coming closer, and a sense of dread filled him. It was time to decide whether or not to focus on the mission, or recover the stolen blueprints. After the situation in the Armory diffused, he got to sit down and chat with Frederico, who argued his case. Getting back those weapons meant the world to him. The Brotherhood practically saved his life and helped him make something of himself. They scratched his back, and he believed that the time had come to repay the favor and scratch theirs. The good man John is, he promised to retrieve the designs if at all possible.

The Assassins disembarked to join up with Master T'Lona's investigations on the Citadel, leaving the _Normandy_ crew to itself. C-Sec did eventually show up, but Miranda, who remained polite and calm, managed to handwave away and deny their concerns to the point where they simply up and left, unable to find anything of interest.

Having suddenly found the free time while the Assassins got the necessary details for their mission, John ventured down into engineering to pay a certain Quarian a visit. Tali'Zorah had been working diligently maintaining the status of the Drive Core when she felt the toned arms of her commander wrap around her waist. A sudden gasp left her, but when she realized just who it was, she calmed down, turning her head to face John. "Well, good morning, Shepard," she said, nuzzling her visor against his cheek.

"Well, it's definitely been an interesting morning," he said, sneaking a peek at her console where she had been working. By no means at all was he an engineer, but that didn't stop him from looking.

"Oh? Heard that the Krogan escaped… word gets around," she said, shrugging, and leaning back into John's embrace.

"We'll take them down soon enough. Jurdon Skarn left us a decent clue, and we're working on getting back some things they've stolen from the Apprentices."

"Oh, they stole something? Those _bosh'tets_ better not have stolen any of my tools…" Tali swore, breaking free from John's embrace to rummage through her nearby toolbag. John gave her some space, and in a minute, she decided that nothing of value was lost, even if something were missing; she had all the necessary tools for work, as far as she could remember.

John chuckled, "I don't think they were interested in those things, Tali," he said. "They stole some blueprints the Apprentices had been working on up in the armory."

"What? Why would they want those?"

"Weapons, Tali," John deadpanned. Apparently she wasn't in the know as to why Frederico was bumming her for materials.

"…that answers the question as to why Corado wanted a 'fine-linked, 4.572 meter chain…"

…what? John quirked a brow, now curious himself about this weapon. "The hell did he want with that?"

"No idea, but it sounds dangerous, so I can see why you'd be concerned," Tali replied, rubbing her shoulder.

"Well, when they acquire the details we need to go out and find the people who currently have the blueprints, I'd like you to come along," offered John, who put his hands on Tali's hips and pulled her closer to him.

She rested her head on his chest and cooed. "Perhaps. I can tag along on your team, I guess."

John smiled and hugged the young Quarian, who returned the embrace giddily before returning to her console. "I'll let you get back to work. I myself still have things to do. It was great talking to you!" she said.

John chuckled. "It's been fun. I should go, now," he reiterated for the engineer, taking his leave from the deck. His thoughts centered on the task ahead, assuming there could be a task ahead.

* * *

**[Location Redacted, 2185]**

"I cannot believe you!" screamed the Asari Vindicator, who flared up with pulsing, blue biotic energy as she held her head in object frustration. "You left a _love letter_ to the enemy?!"

Skarn sat in their shuttle, humiliated as the scornful eyes of his colleagues death-glared him and berated his stupidity. Garz was next to speak. "The mere fact that we were both even alive when we were born is a miracle in itself, not to speak of the fact that we share the same mother…" he began, leaning forward, staring his brother down, "But mark me, you will be _lucky_ if you come out alive from the thrashing you're about to receive…"

Lilis smirked and crossed her arms. "Deserved, too. He's been too much of an impediment on our mission, anyways. He's either not doing enough or doing too much to hinder the _Normandy_. All we're to do is shake the Assassin's resolve and dog their steps, not get wailed on for a morale boost, or get them killed and jeopardize their own mission," she explained, reasoning with an already-in-agreement Garz.

"…step out of the shuttle," Garz said, trying to use a calm voice with Lilis. The Asari smirked devilishly at Skarn, who maintained his own composure as she stepped out of the shuttle, slamming the door behind her. As she walked, she opened her omnitool to check her email as the sounds of wet, bloody punches, roars of both fury and agony, and the clanking of breaking armor from inside the shuttle escaped and filled her ears. He was fighting back. A great way to receive even worse beating from Garz. Hopefully being pummeled half to death would ensure that Skarn becomes more aggressive on the battlefield.

A curious little note appeared… A Thank-You email… she opened it, making a brief _hm_ sound, nodding in approval when she read the contents. A Blue Suns leader had received the documents attached to the email covertly sent on the Citadel, just before Garz started that horrid firefight. They were all going to get in trouble for it, most assuredly, but they could just pass the blame onto Skarn. He was good for things like that, if anything.

As the shouting ceased from the shuttle, Lilis deactivated her omnitool. All things were going well… now the Blue Suns just needed to find a buyer in the Order to retrieve those documents…

* * *

**_Normandy SR-2, _****2185**

It had been several hours since the incident on the Zakera Ward, and the Assassins had been absent the entire time. Anderson called, alerting John to the fact that he now had the right to depart from the Citadel at any time. Most of the crew had dispersed and went off to shop or socialize once they realized that the Assassins weren't simply running a brief errand.

Even Joker left his post… said he needed some things. He ended up returning with several datapads all with now ancient codes for obscure games. He reminded himself to ask where the crippled pilot actually _gets_ those things. John could recall quite explicitly that it took his mother years to put together the collection of archaic human culture that made up the Shepard twins' childhoods. He knew that he got his vids from Jane's collection. Hell almost broke loose the last time he did that and it surely will succeed the next time he tries it. Especially if it's _The Room_. Oh God, why did Jane still have that damn vid?

John had been cooped up in his cabin for most of the day, wondering when the crew would return. Then it dawned on him, that he _could_ just order them all to come back now… but he didn't want to be _that_ _guy_.

…

Screw it. He opened his Omnitool and prepared to send out an alert when EDI's voice called out over the intercom. "Shepard, Mr. Clarke has returned," she said, and before one could blink, Shepard was in the elevator headed down for the CIC. He met Alexander waiting at the Galaxy Map.

A nod to Kelly Chambers and she dismissed herself, leaving the two to talk alone. "What have you to report?" John asked, and Alexander uncrossed his arms and stepped down from the Galaxy Map.

"Blue Suns in the Terminus. Some leader named Rethe Bramkalok… probably Batarian," Alexander replied. He waved his Omnitool in the Galaxy Map's general direction and a pinging light marked the desired destination.

"Omega?"

"Yes, actually. After discovering the recipient – don't ask how we did it. Assassin Magic, yes, I'm going to be that guy – we began tracking his whereabouts and his contact information. Omega Assassins are already on the case, working closely with rivalling mercenary groups and with… the local brothel. Apparently this guy thinks Frederico's invention is going to make him rich, so he hired some… escorts, for himself, his party, and their contact, whom they're selling the blueprints to. Little did he know that they're on our side."

"Sounds like we have this under control," John replied, scratching his head, "So then tell me: do we still have to go down there?"

"I would. Not only would it boost morale but we can stick it to the Illusive Man. It's obvious he's tied to this somehow," the Assassin said, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

John nodded affirmatively and took his leave, so that he could ready himself for the mission.

Jane Shepard was entrusted with selecting the teams this time around. She had to keep in mind three things.

Firstly, she had to select a stealth squad. Someone who could infiltrate, eavesdrop, and pick off lone targets.

Secondly, she had to select people for a group that would be capable of finding and recovering the stolen data.

Thirdly, she had to choose a fireteam for when this inevitably devolved into sweet, senseless violence. Things _did_ blow up around them, after all…

She was looking over her Omnitool, wondering who to send an invitation to, when she bumped straight into Garrus on the way out of the mess hall. The two staggered away from each other, and immediately asked if the other was okay. "I'm fine, thanks, my apologies, I should've been watching where I was going," Jane said, smiling.

"Well, you have an excuse. I have _no idea_ why I bumped into you. My apologies," Garrus said, dusting off a shoulder.

"You are a good foot taller than me," Jane jibed. Garrus chuckled and shook his head. Oh, this woman… "Hey," Jane said, remembering what she was up to, "So John's got another assignment for the crew, he wanted me to handpick people for a multiteamed mission on Omega."

Garrus grumbled, "I'm supposed to be dead… well, Archangel is, at least."

Jane wasn't swayed. "Well then they won't be expecting you to snipe them out of existence, now would they? I need nine people, bare minimum, to help out, and John and I are already going. Three for each team, and you're perfect for infiltration!"

Garrus tilted his head and thought on the subject. "You make a decent point. Can I think about it?"

"Sure thing. Just be up in the briefing room when John calls us in," Jane replied. As Garrus was about to leave, she stole a brief kiss on his mandible and walked off, leaving him stunned.

"Hey… maybe I will tag along," Garrus finally said, to Jane's amusement as she entered Miranda's office.

It was a rather lengthy, awkward silence, in the briefing room. Frederico stood in the center of it all, guilty of having played a part in even having to carry out this mission to begin with. He kept a straight posture and tried to look serious, however it was a hard-to-accomplish feat given that nine other people in the room all had eyes on him, like it was his fault… and it kind of was. He _did_ leave his plans out in the open.

"Oh whyyyy are weeee waaaiiittiiiiinng?" said Kasumi Goto, in a cheery, sing-song voice.

"Alexander," John deadpanned, before becoming silent once again.

After another awkward minute, Alexander finally entered the room with a note in his hand. "Sorry, Miranda demanded I spend time starting the last Memory Sequ- why is everyone staring at Fred?" he said, quirking a brow and handing the note slowly to John, who read it. _A late pass_. What was this, _middle school?_ He rolled his eyes at Miranda, who wasn't around to see his reaction. He handed the note to Jacob, who threw a successful "three-pointer" into the trash-can on the other side of the room. He did a small fist pump as Alex took his place next to Kairee. _Definitely middle school,_ John thought.

After a brief introduction, the team selection began. Alexander, John, and Jane were the usual, go-to team leaders. Alexander was in charge of the infiltrators, taking Kairee and Jack with him. John would have control over the fireteam, comprised of Garrus, Zaeed, and Frederico. Jane, Kasumi, Lora Baan, and Jacob, would steal the data back from the Blue Suns. Why Jacob was here nobody but Kasumi knew. The bubbly, young, Japanese thief had something to do with it, clearly.

With their teams arranged, the mission was green-lit.

* * *

**Omega, 2185**

Disembarking, the three teams went their separate ways. Infiltration, codenamed "Phantom Squad" were tasked with discovering the meeting place of the Blue Suns. Predictably they headed straight for Afterlife, to speak with Aria. The pounding house music rumbled through the air as the three Assassins walked through the entrance tunnel. Dozens of dancing lowlifes crowded the floor. With his hood over his eyes, Alexander shuffled through the crowds, making his way to Aria. Her Batarian guards lifted their shotguns and he and his own team froze. He stared Aria down, seemingly unafraid. He cocked his head towards the guards, silently requesting that they stand down.

"Maybe if you put your hood down and stopped playing superhero, my associates wouldn't question your presence," Aria quipped, chortling lightly to herself. She still waved them away, however, and Alexander sat across from her. "So what is it that you must bother me with, now?"

"Have you heard anything about a weapons dealing on Omega, as of late?" Alexander inquired, leaning forwards, elbows on his knees, hands clasped. He eyed the Pirate Queen from behind his visor and the shadow of his peaked hood.

She scowled at him, but eventually relented. Her face softened up as she replied, "Perhaps. It's not like there are about five going on at this very moment or anything…"

"A specific one. One without weapons but blueprints for a weapon. What's the status of that one?"

"A weaponless weapons deal…" Aria replied, righteously skeptical of that prospect. "You want Rethe Bramkalok, on the Kenzo District. Rumor has it that the stupid Batarian thinks he's struck diamonds with some design for a melee weapon of some sort… one of yours?"

"An apprentice's, actually, was designing a Special Blade. He's torn up about the whole thing, so we're getting the designs back for him. That, and I'm not risking letting whoever's buying the designs build one and use it against us," he explained.

"You see, there's a problem," Aria said, holding her hand up, "You think I actually give a shit. I don't. Spare me the backstory, I gave you what you wanted."

Alexander let off a _hmph_ and stood up, bowing respectfully before the Pirate Queen Aria. He took his leave with his squad to meet back up with the other two teams at the bar. "Kenzo District. We can find them there," he said, as soon as he sat down. John Shepard nodded and pulled up his Omnitool, looking over a map of the station.

"I'll send Phantom Squad to shut down security systems and take down Rethe and his lieutenants. Do it quietly. I'll move Fireteam Delta outside. On the sound of gunfire we'll rush in. In the chaos of the battle, we'll send Larceny Squad in to recover the stolen data," John explained, drawing up the plan on the spot and whispering it to Alexander. Alex shook the Commander's hand, subtly accepting a tracking device from the man, and took off with Phantom Squad.

* * *

**Phantom Squad: "Assassinations are My Specialty!"**

The first thing Phantom Squad had to do was meet up with a contact who could escort them to Rethe's hideout. Unfortunately for Alexander, that contact was on his list of undesirables.

He sighed as he caught sight of a scantily-clad human woman leaning against a lamppost, next to an Asari and… _was that a Drell?_ He blinked, remembering hearing something about the hallucinogenic properties of Drell skin-oil. He shuddered… it was _that_ kind of party, huh? Approaching the human, he cleared his throat. "Whence cometh the lilt of the nightingale in the twilight of summer's warmth?" he said. Poetic gibberish often served as a way to discern between contacts and randoms in convenient locations.

"Heralds the coming dark from the southwest," the Drell woman replied.

The human woman blew a bubble with her gum and smirked. "Alright, big boy," she said, halving Alexander's dignity on the spot, "You want us to take you to Rethe?"

"That would be nice, yes, and I'm taken for your information," Alexander replied, narrowing his eyes as he looked her up and down. Her lingerie didn't even bother covering anything that needed to be covered in public, and the Asari didn't even _have_ a top to speak of. So they weren't from Afterlife or any place similar.

She smirked, looking between him and Kairee, who defensively clutched the human man's arm and glared. "We have two ways of going about this. We can have these two ladies infiltrate with us… I know this woman would fit in well," she said, looking right at Jack.

"Fuck you!" she spat. Kairee's death glare only intensified, making a powerful **NO** obvious.

"Or we could drop you all on the roof…" The Drell, the only somewhat "modestly" dressed woman in their group, suggested. The human woman shrugged and threw away her gum, off the side of the railing – presumably to the bottom of Omega – and walked off with her posse of prostitutes. Located nearby was a black skycar, more like a sky_van_. The human woman opened the driver's seat door and climbed in, starting up the vehicle. Hesitantly, the Assassins plus Jack entered the back of the vehicle. As the Asari and Drell hopped in the middle seats, Alexander drew a throwing knife and began to toy with it, twirling it skillfully between his fingers.

"Are you really that nervous? Not like they're armed or shit," Jack mumbled to Alexander, who only returned an expressionless glance from behind his hood and visor. He held onto Kairee's arm with his free hand.

"Back in the day we had classy brothel mistresses and Romanis who knew how to drive a Byzantine wild. Now? I'm almost certain that the human's stripname is _Sprinkles_," Alex whispered.

The human in question snickered and turned around, "It's Stormie just so you know. The Asari is Lexus and the Drell is Nautica."

Kairee thusly applied her hand to her face. "That's Omega for you," she muttered. She knew specifically what Alexander was referring to when he spoke of "classy brothels."

Stormie brought the skyvan off the ground and piloted it away from its parking space. It was unusually quiet outside, Alex noted. There was not much traffic at the moment, so the flight went smoothly. "So, this is the second time I've been on some shitty infiltration team. When is it that you people are gonna get it: I don't like hiding around and waiting to fight?" Jack inquired, clearly upset with her task.

"Biotic crowd control. I might be biotic myself, but you're practically a biotic goddess. We need that should we be discovered… like last time we were on an infiltration team."

"Fuck that," Jack swore, rolling her eyes, "The moment you get caught I'm raining hell on these mercs."

"Fair enough. We're jumping out of the van by the way."

Kairee sighed in relief, _"Thank you_, I'm just fine in this armor, personally."

Lexus shrugged, "You might like some of our outfits."

No response was had. Better not to engage. When Alexander scored this alliance, he had in mind the kinds of brothels his personal hero associated with, so he was really feeling disappointed.

The flight continued for about five more minutes in total silence, except for the sounds of the skyvan's systems. The two assassins had their battle plan laid out, and Jack simply brooded, ready to punch something. She eventually couldn't hold out any longer, her patience dwindling. "Come on, are we there yet?" she asked, more like demanded.

Nautica turned to Stormie, as if silently asking the same question. "Aaaannnndd yes. We're about to come over head. Just jump out, we're parking in the front of the apartment," Stormie said.

"Later bitches," Jack said, kicking open the back door and leaping out of the skyvan. She used her biotics to glide back on course, falling onto the building and tumbling forwards. She checked her surroundings. It was dark, dimly lit by electric lighting. It was a lavish rooftop, complete with a view of the Kenzo district and a swimming pool – which would come in handy here in a second – to her left.

Alexander leapt from the skyvan, performing a straightened swan dive into the swimming pool, which proved deep enough to survive a dive into. Jack quirked a brow, reading the height of the pool as 10 imperial feet. From that height? "Leap of Faith" indeed. Kairee followed him seconds after, and the two swam (though the latter had some difficulty) to the shallow end of the pool. Climbing out, Alexander shook himself off and recalibrated his visor. After snapping his fingers with a smile, he joined Jack at her side, looking over the front of the building. Stormie's skyvan had parked. A Blue Suns grunt, Turian, approached and opened the back door, which someone had remembered to close. Nautica and Lexus hopped out. Alexander snickered as he watched the Turian look inside the van, confused. No dextro for him it seemed.

Out in the distance, another skycar skulked in the shadows, on a platform adjacent to the one which this building was located on. Fireteam Epsilon followed them here. Larceny Squad had to be nearby. Time to get to work. Alexander tested his blades and drew his M11 Suppressor. He slid a thermal clip into the gun and holstered it. His Automattock was too noisy, thus, he neglected to bring it along. Kairee carried with her an M11 Suppressor and her modified Mantis rifle, silenced for effective, quiet urban combat. Jack had a Scimitar shotgun and Carnifex handcannon. She was the last resort and first to enter heated combat; a marine corps to John's army.

After a weapons check, Alexander held his team up for one moment longer. Jack noticed his irises flash gold as he stared at the floor.

"Whoa, what the fuck's with his eyes?" she asked as he held a finger to his lips.

He was completely and utterly silent, as he looked down at the floor. Faint, fuzzy silhouettes populated the building's lower levels. He scanned the floor, painting targets to himself with a point of the finger. "Rethe is with bodyguards in what I think is a salon… his contact has yet to arrive it seems. A count of five bodyguards. All are Batarian from the look of it…" he said quietly to himself.

Jack couldn't even curse, she had yet to see this ability from Alexander. She just eyed him incredulously. "Right… let's get inside," she said, moving ahead of the Assassin pair. Alexander followed Jack with Kairee in tow. The lattermost squadmate kept her sniper rifle out as the three descended the staircase to the third level of the three-story building. Keeping his sense up, he stopped the two women and stared through the door. Human mercenary guarding the door. No witnesses. He opened the door and as the mercenary turned to aim, he was greeted with a long, slender blade through the throat and a hand on his face. Alexander used his foot to trip the mercenary, throwing him back-first into the floor. Sheathing the blade and flicking the blood off his gauntlet, he walked forward, cuing his accompaniment to follow him. The third story of the building was more like a promenade around the sides of the room, with fancy, glass and wood railing keeping one from falling off into the second story. Another staircase on the other side of the room had no guards and led down to the second and first floors. Rethe was in a lounge on the second. He sat, talking to Lexus, with a cigar in his hand… and his helmet off. He was flirting, clearly, and was such an easy target…

No, not yet. They had to disable any security systems, first.

Cameras… cameras… none on the third floor, nothing of interest was on this floor, so no surveillance was required. The second story had to be well-watched... precisely why the security "office" would be on this floor. No basement, the first story served the purpose quite well, and was the likeliest location of any bedrooms or barracks. Scanning the room, he gestured a flat hand, fingers pointed towards a door on the far left of the room. A little room that filled up the corner on the opposite side as the door that led down to the second floor lay beyond the door. Like most doors these days, it was made of metal and slid open when approached or a code was punched in. The three silently crouch-walked to the door. Kairee set to work hacking through and Alexander aimed his gun in the direction of the guard.

The door opened and he went to take his shot. An onset of pain in his head, however, caused him to flinch. He missed his shot and cursed, _in Turkish_. The guard went to alert the other Blue Suns in the building, and would've succeeded had Kairee not drawn her pistol and fired a quick count of two shots into the female human mercenary's forehead. She stood straight up and leaned back… then forwards as she faceplanted onto the ground, blood pouring out from the front and back of the head. Kairee pushed the body out of the way of the door and sat Alexander down in the bloodstained chair and examined him. "Are you okay? What was that?!"

Alex held his head in his hand, wincing in pain. _"I don't know what it was… I'm fine, now, thank you for asking," _he said, in Turkish.

"…what the fuck?" said Jack as she looked over the various cameras.

Kairee patted Alexander on the shoulder repeatedly, knowing precisely what was going on. "What name do you answer to?" she asked, looking Alexander in the now blue eyes.

"A-Alexander…" he said. He hissed through his teeth as he felt another surge of pain sweep over his brain. "B-bleeding… effect. Goddamnit Miranda… you said this shit wouldn't be a problem anymore!" he swore. He took deep, careful breaths and regained his composure. His accent was _thick_, and an amused Jack snickered at Alexander's expense.

"Still think the accent's sexy, Antar?" the _Normandy_'s resident Psychotic Biotic asked as she deactivated the security systems. Alt+F4 works every time!

Kairee glared at Jack and continued tending to Alexander. Security was down. Alexander held a finger up to the earpiece of his visor and contacted Kasumi. "Security is down. There are still guards… we're not spotted just yet. Move in and take what you can," he said. He received the A-OK from the young thief, and dropped his hand to his side. He was feeling weak, things were getting a bit fuzzy. Memories that were not his own poked at his mind and conflicted with his own memories. Whose face was he looking at right now? Kairee's… right, right. It took time, but he was slowly and surely recovering.

Note to self: Do not use Eagle Sense extensively.

* * *

**Larceny Squad: "Not Everyday I Re-Steal the Stolen."**

"Give me one good reason we brought the Volus along?" Jacob complained. The group of four were hiding in the bushes that decorated the small yard of the building where the deal was to take place. "Why are we even doing this? So what if somebody wants to buy a special blade?"

"To answer in order of priority," Jane whispered, "We're doing this for Frederico and Lora's sake, and because I know what they're capable of. If these weapons fall into Templar hands, the Brotherhood will be back on the track of destruction."

"I'm Cerberus you know," Jacob replied.

Jane huffed, and thought of a comeback. "Your Illusive Man sent you into a trap."

Jacob rolled his eyes, but conceded her point; he was pretty doubtful at this point. Besides, he got invited and he didn't turn it down. But, now that he had been sorted onto the team handling the theft, and had been paired with a Volus and a woman with a strange crush on him, he had second thoughts about the assignment. "Doesn't have much to do with the Collectors, does it?" he asked.

"**Hhkkt**. Your daddy issues weren't very Collector related either. **Hhkkt**," Lora retorted.

"Touché…"

Kasumi, who was cloaked at the moment, carefully watched the oscillating security drone over the backyard door. It went dark. Good. Phantom Squad took security down. No traps or cameras for the Blue Suns. Kasumi rolled out of the bush and scaled the wall, followed by Jane. The two peeked into the windows of the third floor. No guards, but two bloodsoaked corpses were present. Jane waved to Jack, who just barely saw her out of the corner of her eye. She ran over to open the window, and pulled Jane inside. Kasumi climbed over to Jane's window and rolled in, still cloaked. "Thanks, Jackie," she said, uncloaking for a brief moment, to announce her presence to Jack, before cloaking again.

"Yeah, Alex fucked something up in his head or something, he keeps alternating between English and Not-English," Jack complained.

"Bleeding Effect?" asked Jane.

"Whatever the hell it is, it prevented us from carrying out any assassinations. Didn't want to piss off the Blue Suns and have Alex bitching about how his head hurts."

"Nice."

As Jane and Jack helped Jacob and Lora into the building, Kasumi jumped the railing and landed silently in the second floor lounge. Though nobody could see, her expression changed to one of displeasure the moment she saw Lexus providing Rethe with a lap dance. Worst part of it all? She had to swipe the datapad from under Rethe's nose, as it was located on his desk…

She walked across the tatami, slowly, as to note make any noise. She noted that the Blue Suns congregating in the area would surely take notice. About ten of them in the spacious second floor lounge, kitchen, and dining room area. Stormie and Nautica kept a handful distracted, but not all of them were immediately concerned with them. The Fridge Horror thawed and Kasumi noted that there were ten Blue Suns, and three call-girls. _*Shudder*_

Carefully placing her hands around the datapad, she began to slowly slide it across the desk. Nobody was seeing anything. Fantastic. Kasumi looked for her chance to escape. She picked it up and decided to just book it at that moment. Stormie caught the floating datapad from the corner of her eye. Running a hand down the side of a Blue Suns mercenary, she feigned flirtation when in reality, she pulled the pin on his tactical grenade. It burst into smoke and flooded the kitchen and dining room. Drawing the attention of any remaining guards, they got up and left, ignoring the missing datapad.

As for the Blue Suns, those who were stoned ala Nautica's skin decided that the smoke was a part of the tease, and were incapable of resisting when the Drell slipped a combat knife from her boot. Each Blue Suns mercenary dropped like flies in the smokey haze, including those who came only to investigate the smoke.

From the corner of his eyes, Rethe noticed the smoke flowing into the lounge. Thinking nothing of it, he smirked, under the impression that it was, indeed, part of the show. Lexus knew what was up, however. She removed the wrapping from her arms and proceeded to wrap them around Rethe's eyes. Kinky.

As Rethe settled into this new development, without warning, Lexus nimbly flipped over him, pulling on the wrappings, and dragging him back. Now he began to panick, knowing that something was wrong.

He would soon be silenced by a bullet from Kairee's sniper rifle, a splatter of blood leaving both the entry and exit holes in his head. Lexus stood back up and re-wrapped the cloth around her arms, spitting on the Batarian's corpse.

Jacob and Lora jumped down from the third floor. Just in time, too. Blue Suns mercenaries who were wondering why the conversation upstairs had gotten so quiet had poured into the room. Lora overloaded their shields, and Jacob tossed a Pull field, yanking one off her feet. She was riddled with bullets, working as effective human cover as the two jumped behind Rethe's desk and tipped it over. Lora, drawing her Katana shotgun, held it over the desk (which she was merely a foot taller than) and fired, as soon as the floating corpse moved overhead and dropped with a pathetic thud behind them. Jacob laughed and created a Barrier for the two of them, standing and firing his Carnifex into the group of now dispersed Blue Suns. With Lora's help overloading shields, the mercs were dead inside of a minute.

Kasumi had long since returned upstairs with her prize, uncloaking. Jane took the datapad and cheered to herself, before contacting John. "We have the datapad!" she said, looking it over. She stopped. A look of horror overtook her face. "Scratch that…" she said.

_Attached is 1,500,000 Credits for the Blade Schematic. We thank you for your cooperation. ~Your Buyer._

* * *

**Fireteam Epsilon: "Let's Try Not to Start World War IV, Shall We?"**

The mission was going well. Well, it was going pretty swimmingly, because Fireteam Epsilon was practically useless at the moment! John, in his inability to drive anything, sat in the passenger seat while Zaeed took the wheel. Garrus sat in back with Frederico, aiming his Viper rifle out the window towards the building. He was scoped in, eye trained on the interior of the building that looked vaguely like his own hideout in the Kima District. This one was a bit different in that it had a pool on the roof, however. Nice touch. "Larceny Squad's moving in…" Garrus said as he saw Jane tumble into the third floor. Their platform was slightly elevated, allowing them to look inside the building's front windows.

"Y'know, I once did something similar to this…" Zaeed said, leaning back in his seat. "A team of six, this time, however. We all had to pose as concubines to steal back a prototype weapon, rather than a schematic. It was a Goddamn WMD you hold in your hand, as well. The head had to be an actual woman. Shi turned out to be a fuckin' XXY. Got the squad killed when shi revealed hirself, I shit you not. I was _the only_ one to make it out alive. Had to use the prototype to blow the place to hell, too! You should have seen it!"

Another one of Zaeed's "Sole Survivor" stories. John quite enjoyed those. He couldn't relate… yet. However they always seemed to kill time. Frederico's face was _priceless_. He was horrified, clearly so.

"I could've lived without hearing that last detail about the concubine head," Garrus remarked.

"We men do _not_ like 'surprises,' so… can't exactly blame the guy who killed your squad," Frederico admitted.

Zaeed gave him a long, stern stare. "…neither can I," he too admitted.

They sat in silence for approximately seven more minutes.

"John, we have the datapad!" Jane's voice called out over the comms systems of the Fireteam's armor. John exchanged cheerful glances with his team and was about to reply when Jane spoke again. "…scratch that…"

"What? 'Scratch that?' What's that supposed to mean?!" Frederico asked from the backseat.

"…he's already sold the schematics," John realized. "Garrus, do you see anything?"

Garrus looked down towards the entrance, where a couple of skycars were parked. "No… nothing yet," he mumbled. He stopped scanning the area. "Hold on. Someone's leaving the building. Tall, human… black armor with a recon hood, gold lighting… feed the description to Alex, see if he recognizes the color scheme. I know Vindicators wear silver and gold," Garrus stated, finger tensing on the trigger as he tracked the armored man. He carried a datapad in his left hand and he was making haste for a vehicle.

"Alex, if you're there right now. There is a man in black armor, with gold highlights and lighting leaving the premises. Templar?" John inquired. He too could see the man fleeing the scene, now. Why hadn't he left earlier…? Did he know there were people there? He had to have been planning this in advance…

"Templar 'Darkstar,'" Alexander answered, after a moment of thought. "Mostly infiltrators. Whereas Vindicators are offensive specialists, Darkstars can utilise our own penchant for stealth against us. No wonder they want these blade schematics. They could figure out what we make them out of! Kill him as soon as you can!"

Garrus stepped out of the skycar, approaching the edge of the platform and taking aim. As the Darkstar struggled to open his skycar, looking about frantically, he stopped and stared into the distance. Blue Suns mercenaries followed him close behind, guns raised and ready to fight. One handed the Darkstar an assault rifle and pulled out his SMG. The Darkstar kept his suspicious, yet empty, stare focused ahead of him.

"I think this mate saw me," Garrus muttered to the side. Zaeed started the engine out of caution. Before one could blink, gunshots hit the platform under Garrus, and the doors of the car behind him. He staggered back into the car, "Yep, definitely saw me!" he said, closing the door. The Darkstar climbed into his own vehicle and sped off. As Zaeed drove to pursue him, he could see Larceny and Phantom Squads leaving the building. Alexander had recovered apparently, as he was one of the first to leave.

Jack charged towards a Skycar operated by Blue Suns and, after hijacking the driver's seat and shockwaving the passenger off of the platform, she opened the doors for Kasumi, Lora, Jane, and Jacob. Kairee climbed on top of the skycar and drew her sniper rifle, aiming forwards as the skycar lifted off. Ah… magnetic boot modifications…

Three scantily-clad women left the building. A human, a Drell, and an Asari piled into a skyvan with Alexander climbing in back. With three skycars in pursuit of a single, black, sports skycar, Hell was bound to break lose. Zaeed looked to his left as he lined up with the skyvan and Jack's skycar. He chuckled, a wide grin crossing his face. It grew into a genuine laugh of excitement as he floored the gas pedal. John stuck his upper body out of the window, aiming his recently acquired Revenant machine gun at the escaping skycar. Garrus leaned out of his own window with his rifle, and Frederico climbed up onto the roof of the skycar, magnetizing to the roof. His arms flared with biotic energy, and he was ready to fight!

Kairee lined up a shot with her Mantis rifle, and fired into the spoiler of the skycar, tearing it off of the vehicle. She cursed under her breath, having missed her intended target. Lora aimed her Omnitool towards the Darkstar's skycar and a burst of electricity surged throughout the vehicle. It began turning over, nosediving downwards several levels. The three skyvehicles in hot pursuit nosedived as well, trying to go after the Darkstar. He regained control after a moment, and pulled the vehicle together, putting it back on its proper course. The changes of direction shook Kairee, and Frederico. Inertial compensators made the hard turns easier for those leaning out windows, but nonetheless the threat of falling out was real.

Frederico threw a warp into the skycar, striking its rear propulsors as John let loose with a flurry of bullets, striking the rear of the vehicle as well. The Darkstar changed tactics and began driving in a serpentine motion to escape hostile fire.

"Damn it, someone pin it down!" Zaeed roared, holding the wheel with one hand, shooting his Predator backup pistol at the rear window of the skycar. The skyvan carrying Alexander hit the nitro and flew over the skycar. Alexander kicked open the door, activated his hookblade, and flipped over, hooking the floor of the van with his hookblade and swinging onto the hood of the skycar. He panicked and fell, tumbling to the roof of the car when a Blue Suns mercenary, a Turian, opened fire with a Locust SMG. It fired quickly enough to drop his barriers, and he almost fell off of the skycar.

"Alex, be careful!" Kairee, John, Jane, and Zaeed all cried in unison. Kairee fired a bullet just over Alex, hitting the hood of the skycar. Smoke began rising from the engine and she pumped her fist. Target hit! Garrus emptied his thermal clip trying to break off the doors of the skycar, successfully taking off the passenger seat's door. The objective was to grab a man and throw him out. Nautica rolled down the passenger window of the skyvan and aimed a pistol out of it, firing into the windows of the Darkstar's door. He was forced to nosedive once again to try and evade the Assassins and _Normandy_ squadmates. Alexander had barely hooked onto the smoking rear of the vessel in time before flying off. The Blue Sun Turian aimed his SMG at Alexander and fired towards his head and chest. The Assassin responded by throwing his cloak over his face. The shielded cloth saved his life! When the hailstorm of ammunition ended, Alexander removed his cloak from his face, drawing his M11 Predator and firing a shot into the chest of the Turian. It damaged his shields considerably, and he ducked back inside. His hookblade was tearing through the metal of the skycar; he couldn't hold on much longer. He resigned to his failure and retracted the blade, going spread-eagle to increase wind resistance. The skycar Kairee stood atop flew by him, and a three-fingered hand gripped him by the hood, pulling him onto the skycar. He magnetized to it and breathed a sigh of relief.

Kairee smacked him straight in the back of the head for his stunt. "Don't you _ever_ do that to me again! Do you know how worried I was?" she shouted, taking another sniper shot at the skycar.

The skycar turned to its side, threading the needle through an oncoming obstacle. It managed to clip off the driver seat door however, sending that projectile into the skyvan the three courtesans were piloting. It struck the hood and sent them flying off course. Meanwhile, the other three cars had to fly underneath to escape a fiery demise.

"Shit! We'll regroup in a second assuming we don't crash!" Stormie cried out. Alexander managed to hear them and he nodded. He lifted his arm and threw a shockwave towards the Darkstar, bumping into their skycar and rolling it over. To prevent flying in the opposite direction, the Darkstar cut the engine and let the car tumble, before starting it up again and turning sharply to the left.

"Is anyone else thinking of Fast and Furious right now?!" John cried out, firing another volley of bullets towards the escaping Templar.

"You too?!" Jane replied, aiming her N7 Hurricanes out of the window, brushing past Jacob to do so. She spent the thermal clips and retreated inside. The smoke was obscuring the Templar's vision, and he started to panic, driving erratically from side to side.

Frederico launched a singularity and Jacob threw a Pull field, which opened up in front of the Templar and tugged at the back of the skycar respectively, yanking the hood cover off and causing the car to slow considerably as it had to fight to escape the event horizon and pull field. It broke free when Hawking Radiation took hold, however, and the black hole disintegrated. The hood cover flew towards Frederico. Determined and fueled by rage, he threw a wicked punch and a pulse of energy was thrown just ahead of him, blowing a massive hole in the metal sheet, knocking it further upwards and preventing it from hitting the hapless apprentice.

"Shit, Corado's pissed!" Jack remarked, eyes wide at his rage-filled, roaring face. _She was supposed to be the crazy biotic…_

Zaeed and Garrus fired concussive blasts, both of which impacted the bottom of the Templar's vehicle, knocking out some important machinery. Smoke enveloped the skycar and the Blue Suns mercenary ducked his head out to breathe. "Land this damn thi- GLUK!"

The mercenary was shot in the face, courtesy of a shotgun blast from Lora Baan. She pumped her Katana shotgun and smirked behind her mask. The Turian tumbled out of the car and free-fell down Omega. Zaeed pulled up over the Templar's slowing car, and John abandoned ship, landing on the smoking engine. He rolled into the car and began wrestling the Darkstar for control of the wheel. A punch to the jaw from Shepard as only he can do it, a kick to the hip from the Templar. John almost fell from the vehicle, but grabbed the sides of the door-frame and slammed his boots into the head of the Darkstar. He flew out of the skycar, taking the datapad with him. He landed hard on the roof of a Gozu district shop. John drove the skycar upwards, then jumped out. As he fell, he rolled over, back facing the ground, and charged a biotic blast. He threw the shockwave forwards, propelling himself closer to the ground at a faster speed. The shockwave finished the skycar and detonated it as Zaeed piloted his car under John. He landed and dented the roof, but survived, regardless. The two skycars landed on rooftops adjacent to the one the Templar crashed on. The courtesan van returned shortly after, sputtering out and barely making it onto another rooftop. The small army piled out, and Alexander, Frederico, Lora, and Kairee leapt across the gaps between rooftops. Civilians below were in a panicked rush to escape with their lives, and it was likely that Blue Suns, Eclipse, or Blood Pack would be called in to fight whatever threatened the pseudo-peace. The Templar tried to crawl away, pitifully groaning and squirming across the ground. Alexander kicked him onto his back, then kicked off his recon hood. The human underneath smiled and tossed him the datapad. "You're too late… but a consolation prize for making it this far," he taunted.

Frederico yanked the datapad away. The schematics were there, every one of them. He sighed and hugged the pad to his chest. "What do you mean, 'too late?' it's all there!" Alexander shouted, attempting interrogation. Kairee had looked up, curious about the fate of the detonated skycar. Her eyes bulged, and she threw herself and Alexander out of the way. Frederico instinctually jumped back as shrapnel from the destroyed skycar came tumbling down. The body of the car tumbled wildly down past the shop, but shrapnel still had yet to strike.

The Templar laughed like a maniac as scrap metal struck him right in the throat. A splatter of blood burst from his mouth, his eyes bulged as intense pain moved through his spine. Instinctually, he tried pulling himself away, out from under the shrapnel… and only ended up pulling his body off of his nearly severed head, making it fully severed. His body went limp, and the onlookers, sans the jaded Zaeed and Jack (the latter of which applauded the grisly display) took a cautious step back. Other, more harmless pieces of metal, either hit or missed the rooftop. The three Assassins who dived out of the way picked themselves up, to be greeted by the bloodbath in front of them. Alexander rubbed his throat. "Well, that's definitely not how you get **ahead **in life…" he one-liner'ed. Kairee's attention immediately went to giving her boyfriend an incredulous death-glare. He shrugged. "What… lightening the mood… no?"

"C'mon… we got what we came here for," John somberly said, turning and leaving. "Joker, we're headed back," he said into his comms.

* * *

**_Normandy SR-2_****, 2185**

Frederico immediately put his schematics in his footlocker once he got back on board the _Normandy_, then left for the Briefing Room for the debrief.

John stood at the back of the room, arms crossed behind his back. He was smiling, happy to accomplish the mission. Everyone involved was gathered around the briefing table, each invigorated by that high-speed chase. "That was textbook, everyone. I want you to know how proud I am of each and every one of you," he said.

Frederico arrived and took his place between Alexander and Lora. "Thank you all, on behalf of Lora and I, for getting back our schematics," he said, bowing his head reverently.

Alexander took a position next to John and briefed his Assassins. "Your performance today, Lora, Frederico… was nothing short of incredible, both of you. For your assistance, and in recognition of your work as bladesmiths, I am promoting you to footpads. You will receive armor upgrades and access to combat tutoring at the Assassin Bureau the next time we visit the Citadel, should you wish to take the upgrades," he said. Frederico grinned and snuck a high… low, five… three, from Lora.

"Congratulations you two," John interjected. "Do you mind sharing with us what exactly you were working on when the schematics were stolen?"

"Uh, yes. I did some research… and back in the 1800s, an English Assassin named Jacob Frye used a hookshot hidden blade to quickly scale rooftops. They've fallen out of favor in the modern world, so I set out to improve their design…"

"Titanium chains…" John murmured.

"_Sim_, precisely, sir," the new footpad replied, "Chainblades. Launching a hidden blade that can split up into prongs, making an effective hookshot. I wanted it to be able to support a person's weight so they could use it to scale walls more effectively. It is currently designed to be easily retractable, allowing for quick and safe recovery. Also, I wanted it to be ambidextrous, so you could use two at once."

Alexander thought about the uses of that special blade. "That's incredible, actually. So like a rope-dart you can use to climb and swing around?"

"Exactly!"

"I'll pitch the idea to Master T'Lona as soon as I get the chance!"

Frederico smiled, clearly enthusiastic about the offer.

"**Hhkkt**. Remember that I helped too. **Hhkkt**. Thanks for all of your assistance. **Hhkkt**. I'm heading down to Engineering if you need me. **Hhkkt**," Lora said, waddling out of the room. John soon dismissed the rest of the team. He himself stayed behind.

_It's too late_.

Why was it too late?

…what were the Templars up to…?

* * *

**Hey, thank you guys for reading my story! Drop a favorite on this story and follow it if you haven't if you wanna see more!**

**I'm REALLY proud of this chapter. Especially that car chase scene oh my God. Remember to leave a review telling me what you think of the story. Since it's relevant to the Author's Note at the top of the story, feel free to leave a review commenting and critiquing the characters of Alexander, Kairee, Frederico, Lora, Eleria, and the Templar Trio!**

**Sutori Artifex signing off. Expect to see some more Joker's Let's Play in the near future too o3o!**

**EDIT: I forgot to include Tali in the teams during the latter half of this chapter. Headcanon this: She had an unexpected complication with the drive core or an engine or something. I screwed up too hard for too long to fix it. XD**


	12. Of Derelicts And Geth

**Sutori-Artifex coming back with another chapter of Masscreed. So, I was rather proud of the last chapter. It wasn't the best – none of this is that good. It's a ****_fanfiction_****. – but it was vastly superior to a few other chapters. So this one involves the Derelict Reaper. Which also means: LEGION! :D**

**Everybody's favorite Flashlight Head! The Tin-Man's finally getting his metal butt on the Yellow Brick Road to the Collector Base!**

**I'm keeping this chapter a bit more canon, but of course, I will take my liberties with dialogue in places where there is no dialogue already.**

**Since it's nearly the end of this Story Arc, I wanted to go back and rewrite Chapter Five, just to finish off the monster I beat to a pulp when I rewrote chapters 1-4.**

**FROM MY PROFILE:**

**Nobleborn** has been deleted. I disliked this story strongly. It was rushed, poorly handled and written, with a good plot wasted and warped into a convoluted and deviant mess of situations. It was inadvertently and extremely sexist in favor of men with only two female characters, one that was put into a rushed romance and one that was ignored almost completely. I hated this story with a passion. I hated it and I felt awful for writing it. It was bad, and bad stories attract the poor quality side of FanFiction, which this story did with its obnoxious, obsessive reviewers that are in no way the audience I wish to be in contact with. Do not ask for me to bring this story back. It is dead, and dead men tell no tales. The story of Avular is over without an ending.

**NORMANDY** **One-Shots **has been deleted. I didn't DISLIKE the story, but I found it... weird. Not updated and unappreciated for good reason, I felt that the choice of topics for One-Shots were... odd, to say the least. Chronologically shuffled, it was difficult to place a specific date for when each one-shot took place and there were varying degrees of canon-adherence that made the story confusing for even I, the writer of the damn thing.

**I have started a poll on my profile to decide on the universe for a new story to replace Nobleborn, and to focus on in the gap between the Omega-4 Story Arc and the DLC Story Arc (Dealing with Firewalker, Overlord, Arrival, etc.) Choices are Harry Potter (My bias made me vote for this one. I haven't read all the books but I have seen and loved every movie, and am willing to do as much research as I can to fit in with you lovely Potterheads out there c:), Pokemon (which I already tried writing but was really iffy about), HALO (Only finished HALO: Reach. Will research accordingly), and World of Warcraft (which I was incredibly iffy about writing but could pull myself together to write if the response is positive).**

**So… favorite, follow, and drop a review. Make sure to vote on the poll! The usual pre-chapter note ;)**

**BEGIN!**

* * *

**_Normandy SR-2, _****2185**

"So. Where do you think we're getting this device from?" Crewman Hawthorne asked, after swallowing a large bite from a sandwich prepared by Rupert Gardner.

"Mmn, yeah, and what is it, anyway?" said Crewman Rolston, to add to Hawthorne's inquiry.

"An Identify-Friend-Foe module," Kaidan replied, busying himself with an Omnitool app. A game, specifically, and a time-waster game at that. He winced as he failed yet again and his full attention turned to Hawthorne. "I'd imagine that since it's a Reaper module, we need a Reaper to get one."

"Oh, sure," Crewman Rolston said, "because everyone knows that Reapers are charitable souls and would just _love_ to give up one of their IFFs!"

"That's why you use a dead one, dumbass," Alexander Clarke said as he walked past the Mess Hall, bound for Miranda's office.

"…well," Kaidan muttered to himself.

"Dead Reaper? Like a derelict or something? Where are we going to find one of those?" Hawthorne asked.

"Ah, I heard some Cerberus scientists were deployed to the Hawking Eta about something of that nature," Rupert Gardner chimed in from the kitchen space.

Kasumi Goto then decloaked – she had been hanging from the ceiling – and offered her two credits, saying, "In his house at R'lyeh, Dead Cthulhu waits dreaming."

"Lovecraft!" Ashley Williams called from the kitchen space as she watched Gardner prepare her a meal.

"A dead, dreaming god?" Kaidan asked, skeptical of the concept.

"I don't see why an offline machine can't have background tasks running. Why do you think I keep having to re-calibrate that damn gun even when it's not in use?" Garrus Vakarian explained as he walked down the short stairs leading to the rest of the Crew Deck. "Remember, Kaidan, we both fought Sovereign with the Shepards. It was a complex and highly intelligent AI. I doubt a Reaper in a derelict state is truly… 'dead,' you know?"

"I guess that makes sense, and all, but if it is 'dreaming' and all that, don't you think something bad would have happened to those scientists?"

"They haven't been there long, after all the hearsay I picked up on started a few days ago," Hawthorne responded, taking another bite from his sandwich.

"Ah. Perfect, while they're asleep," Kaidan said, "Indoctrination. You know what I'm talking about, right Ash? Garrus?"

"Right, you mean that thing that happened to Benezia?" said Ashley.

"And Saren?" said Garrus.

"Exactly. Those scientists are not in a good spot right now and I know it!"

"Well we're heading to pick up the IFF now, Miranda said so," Rolston said after listening to the exchange.

Ashley took her plate of spaghetti to the mess hall dining table and sat down next to Kaidan. "You guys can sift through dead Reaper for some software. _I_ am going to enjoy some spaghetti."

"…you tolerate the shit Gardner makes? And I'm pretty sure it's actual shit. He cleans the toilets with the same hands he soufflés with," Rolston commented.

"Aw, that's so sweet of you to say. You admit I can make a soufflé," Gardner replied with a sly smirk that whispered subtle victory.

"…isn't that a method of cooking?"

"Delicious and luxurious French pastry, cupcake."

"Shit."

Ashley and Kaidan shared a brief chuckle as Gardner finally got his well-deserved revenge. "Hey, I like it. Gardner said John picked him up some high quality supplies, and… anything's better than Alliance MREs."

"Amen," Alexander remarked yet again as he left Miranda's office with a bottle of medicine in his hands.

"…what's his deal?" Garrus asked, sitting down with the humans at the table.

"No idea," Ashley said, holding her hands up to express innocence, just before digging into her spaghetti.

The ship rocked violently, and Hawthorne's sandwich fell apart, condiments and juices landing right on his uniform pants. Ashley skillfully managed to get the pasta away from her as it tumbled off of the fork, at the cost of the cleanliness of her hands, but those could always be washed.

"The hell was that?!" Kaidan asked as Garrus got up to head for the armory, fearing the worst.

* * *

A panicked Jane Shepard ran into the bridge of the _Normandy_, stumbling as she tried to keep her footing as the ship rattled about. "What's with all the chop, Joker?!" she said as she reached the helmsman, using his chair for support.

"Doing my best! The wind's gusting up to 500 kph!" Joker cried as he piloted the _Normandy_ above the atmosphere of a desert planet. Jane was genuinely surprised; being _this_ high above the planet's stratosphere and the wind is at 500 kph? That's incredible! Joker continued, saying, "There's a second ship alongside the Reaper. It's not transmitting any IFF, but the ladar paints its silhouette as Geth!"

The _Normandy_ crew had been tipped off to the presence of a Reaper Identify-Friend-Foe device on a derelict Reaper – the secret to entering the Omega-4 Relay – in the Hawking Eta. Alexander was forced back into the Animus to finish off Eldar Koslov's memories. Worried about the Bleeding Effect and what toll it was taking on the poor man, the Assassin footpads plus Kairee kept a vigilant watch over him. Mordin monitored his vitals, and Miranda kept tabs on his progress throughout the memories.

"I guess we know why the Science Team stopped reporting in," Jane replied, referring to a group of Cerberus Scientists currently researching the derelict. A bout of turbulence rattled the ship once again. "What just happened?" Jane inquired, as the shaking ceased.

"The Reaper's mass effect fields are still active. We just passed inside their envelope," replied Joker, running a few diagnostics as he explained the situation. As they approached the massive Reaper, he sniggered to himself. "Eye of the hurricane, huh?"

Jane said nothing in reply, as she left the bridge to call up a squad. Upon being approached by John, she claimed that she wanted to take this mission herself; John deserved a break, and she believed it was time to show off what she was made of. John obliged her simple request, but demanded that she take along a powerful squad. Garrus was an obvious choice, Jane said. She wasn't expecting much of a threat, so she believed she would only need a basic two-man squad. She picked Thane as backup for her and Garrus. The Drell Assassin had yet to be taken on many assignments, and Jane wished to bring him along for added sniper support, should anything go awry. He had donned his original black and grey outfit for this mission and used a Viper rifle and a Locust SMG. Jane applied Incendiary ammunition to her N7 Hurricanes and holstered one, holding the other out in case any Geth ambushed her.

* * *

**Derelict Reaper, 2185**

The trio disembarked from the drop shuttle and entered the Derelict Reaper. Well, actually, they entered a Cerberus lab. As the doors opened they were treated to the grisly sight of a human corpse, horrendously decomposed and mutilated. A hole was ripped clean through the body. Brownish, blackened blood was caked upon the otherwise pristine, white wall of the facility.

"Exploring an abandoned area, expecting something mechanical and nasty to jump out at any moment…" Garrus listed, then smugly grinning as best he could, "Just like old times."

Nobody said another word as the squad moved forward into the lab. Computers were set up at the walls of the room, which the squad quickly worked to access. Thane managed to find stores of credits in some computers, and Jane found a sound file which she played.

_"__The Airlock has been installed at the far end of the holed section. We have begun pressurization for shirtsleeves work. The crew is edgy. I reassure them it is mere nerves. A superstitious reaction to what this hulk represents – the corpse of a vast, ancient lifeform. Privately, I can't deny the atmosphere. The angles of the walls seem to press down on you. I find myself clenching my teeth…"_

"Indoctrination," Garrus murmured to himself, then he picked up his voice, "Kaidan was right…"

"It is an atmosphere worthy of feeling edgy within," Thane noted, holding his rifle firmly.

"Don't let it get to you. Let's keep moving," said Jane, leaving the computers alone.

At the end of the hallway they traveled down, yet another work log could be seen. Jane stepped up to it and hit play.

_"__We finished cataloguing specimens A203 to B016. No evidence of active nanotechnology noted. Dr. Chandana believes they would have decayed over the last 37 million years. There's not enough data to support his claim. He asserts that the truth is 'patently obvious.' I am… concerned. Chandana has been staring at the samples for hours. He says he's… 'listening' to them."_

"37 million years? Boys we're walking on history," Jane quipped, hoping to lighten the mood. Thane smiled, so it seemed to work. They took a right turn and walked down the following hallway. The Reaper began to rattle, causing Jane to stumble. As she almost fell, Garrus's arms went around her to catch her.

"Hey, careful, are you alright?" the Turian sniper asked. Jane steadied herself and nodded with a warm beam on her face.

"_Normandy_ to shore party!" Joker's voice cried from within the bridge of the _Normandy_.

Jane put on a poker-face and adopted a stern tone as she replied. "What just happened?"

"The Reaper put up kinetic barriers! I don't think we can get through from our side!"

"We're trapped," Thane said, smile fading, "How disquieting…"

"Well, we've got guns. Use them," Jane ordered.

"The _Normandy_ lacks the necessary firepower," EDI said. "Reaper shields are impervious to dreadnought fire."

"…not even the Thanix cannon I spent an entire night trying to integrate into the _Normandy_?" Garrus asked. "Crap!"

"Shepard, a kinetic barrier can only be produced by a mass effect generator. That is true for any ship. Even a Reaper," EDI explained, "At the moment of activation, I detected a heat spike in what is likely the wreck's mass effect core. Sending coordinates, now… be advised: this core is also maintaining the Reaper's altitude."

"So when we take the barriers down to escape, the wreck falls into the planet core."

"And that means everyone dies. Yeah, I got it."

"We'll make a sweep for survivors and research data. Then we'll knock this ugly piece of crap out of the sky. Be ready to pick us up. Being crushed in the heart of a brown dwarf is not on today's agenda," Jane demanded, signing off.

Three more mutilated carcasses greeted the three warriors. "I heard stories of this sort of… atrocity. I thought they were exaggerated," he mumbled.

Another work log…?

_"__You're married? I never knew that!"_

_"__Katy had anger management issues. When my brother got married the best man tried to hit on her. She kicked him down the church steps."_

Jane chuckled, "Way to go, Katy…"

_"__Wh-what?! Katy's MY wife! I must have told you the story!"_

_"…__no? I know my wife. I remember – that day was the only time I saw her wear stockings."_

_"__Yeah… the kind with seams up the back. That's what I remember, too!"_

_"__What the hell is this? How can we remember the same thing?"_

The work log cut out. "It sounds like the Reaper was affecting their memories…" Garrus said, and one exchange of expression with Jane, and they both knew that they were equally disturbed. They walked away from the file and moved across the walkway to the right. As they did so, a sense of dread came over them, which better prepared them for the ambush of husks that came crawling onto the walkway. The undead cyborgs shambled forwards as Jane unleashed a torrent of ammunition, shredding the husks before they got too close. Thane warped a small group of husks as they tried to climb over a crate of excavation explosives. The crate's contents detonated and dented the metal walkway, sending husks flying in pieces or in wholes that flew off of the railing or were incinerated as gravity whisked them away.

The squad pushed on through a small army of husks. Sniper rifles seemed to do well to put them down quickly, and Jane's Hurricanes provided consistant incendiary fire with which she burned several husks to the ground.

One lucky husk managed to attack Thane from behind and grab his shoulders. He responded by grabbing its wrist and flinging it over his shoulder, slamming its synthetic spine into the ground. He lifted up his leg and brought it down in an axe-kick onto the husk's skull, smashing it into the metal walkway. He switched guns and used his Locust SMG to deliver a quick pulse of bullets into the nose of a husk, destroying its head.

Jane activated and subsequently detonated her tech armor, pushing a small wave of husks off and away from her, the noise then attracting husks yet to attack her. Seeing as she now had the attention of husks intending to attack Thane and Garrus, she ran up to an explosive crate, holstered her SMG, jumped, and performed a quick Double Kong over to the other side. As she ran, she shouted for Garrus to blow the crate. A well-timed shot from his sniper rifle detonated the contents of the crate and incinerated the husks. Those were the last of them, for now.

She walked back, taking slow, deep breaths to recover as she walked over to another computer to play the work log. "Might as well copy the data from these as we go, right?" she reasoned out loud.

_"__Third day with this headache. You'd think Chandana would let me have a few hours off."_

_"__Goddamn!"_

_"__What?!"_

_"__That thing that just… gray thing! It disappeared when I looked straight at it! Came out of the damn wall! Where we took off that panel!"_

_"__I didn't see anything. You should lie down."_

_"__I'm telling you, this ship isn't dead. It __**knows**__ we're inside it."_

_"__Calm down. Now __**I'm**__ getting a headache."_

"Perhaps it was a husk?" Thane proposed. "I've always been curious as to whether the technology to make husks belonged to the Geth or to Sovereign."

They continued down the walkway and up a ramp, and at the top, in the distance a husk bit the dust as a bullet went flying through its skull. "Sniper!" Garrus cried, running for cover with the other two in the squad.

No further bullets came through. "I couldn't see the sniper. A survivor from the Science Team?" Garrus continued, peeking out of cover. Jane ran across to a workbench to gather the supplies she saw there. Resources, power cells, a sniper rifle with part of its receiver destroyed. She took a look at the inner workings and decided that parts were best used for improvement of the shore party's own guns.

They marched onward to receive more husks. This time, the first to crawl from under the walkway was… burnt? Darker synthskin and red/orange arteries and eyes where the husks had blue arteries and eyes. It sprinted towards Jane and she flicked her wrist, unsheathing her Hidden Blade to thrust it into the abomination's chest. It _exploded_ and sent Jane careening into a metal column. Garrus, who had taken cover with Thane, threw his sniper rifle to the side to grab his assault rifle as quickly as he could. A Vindicator rifle. He fired bursts into the husks that hobbled towards him as Thane provided sniper support. He picked a briefly unconscious Jane up and dragged her behind cover.

"Jane, are you okay? Stay with us, stay with me!" he cried, panicking over her body. Her shields were down and a napalm-like substance greased her armor. The fire, however, quickly died down. She didn't look _too_ bad. Garrus stood and fired a volley of incendiary ammunition over cover, drilling more than a few husks. There was a lull the moment Thane killed the last one, another abomination, with a headshot. It did not explode.

"Unique, red husks detonate upon death not caused by damage to the head!" Thane called out loud, noting the weakness for future encounters.

Jane shifted and held a hand to her head. "Ugh… did somebody catch the number of the Mako that hit me?" she said, still dizzy from the explosive force.

Garrus scooped her up into his arms and silently praised the Spirits that she was alive. "Some kind of 'red husk' exploded when you stabbed it."

"Kamikaze husks, then."

Thane cleared his throat and reiterated his previous point. "Unless you shoot it in the head. I would imagine a precise stab or outright smashing the skull would prove equally effective."

Jane, with Garrus's help, stood back up and pulled out her N7 Hurricanes, akimbo. She took point once again and signaled the squad to keep it moving. The incessant moans of the husks grew louder, meaning more of the monstrosities were close by. Thane beckoned the squad to stop and listen closely.

_Bang bang bang bang bang…_

A biotic shockwave was traveling across the ground, briefly obscured by an explosive crate, which promptly exploded when hit by the shockwave. The shockwave kept moving, now carrying the flames from the explosion towards the squad.

Cursing loudly, Garrus threw Jane out of the way and Thane rolled out of the explosion's path and knelt to catch Jane when she fell. Garrus backpedaled away from the shockwave but was picked up by it, tossed up the stairs from which the squad had just descended. He hit the ground with a thud, incapacitated but not dead. He rolled past his sniper rifle, which he reached for and clutched in his talons. His Vindicator rifle had been lost to the abyss below the walkway when he achieved lift-off.

Jane roared, stealing a grenade off of Thane's belt and activating its charge. She threw it, and it exploded over the offending Scion's head, ripping off the sac of husks on its back. It bellowed in patently obvious synthetic "agony" as it fired another shockwave. This one took a few husks with it, but reached its target of Thane, who just barely managed to use his own biotics to counter enough force to slide back. He fell over the railing and grabbed on for dear life, looking at the positives; he didn't blast off like a rocket, because if he had, he'd be royally screwed. Bright sides.

He climbed over the railing and rejoined the fight, switching back to his sniper rifle to focus fire on the scion. Another shockwave, and he threw a warp towards it. The two canceled out and caused a biotic explosion potent enough to vaporize nearby husks and abominations. Garrus picked himself up and limped back into the fight, sniping the head clean off of the scion. Its last action was to fire another irritating shockwave, which, with the impact of the bullet hitting the scion's head, fired upwards towards the ceiling. Wreckage from the Derelict came down and impaled the scion through the now headless neck, forcing it to stand upright.

Another lull in combat meant that the squad could move on from this event.

They approached the end of the walkway, where an Altar lay ahead, accentuated with tall, narrow spikes. The bodies of Cerberus researchers were impaled on these barbs by their sternums, arms and legs dangling limply to their sides. Their fingers and feet twitched every several seconds. "We've seen these before, Shepard. Dragon's teeth, your people call them. The Geth used them on Eden Prime…"

"There are tales of such things among my people. Devices buried on distant worlds that turn the finders into abominations," Thane said, hand on his chin.

Jane took a careful look around. "See how the room is arranged?" she asked rhetorically. "They treated this thing like some kind of altar."

"It _does_ look like that, but why would they want this to happen?" Garrus asked, looking up at the ceiling.

"You heard the logs. They were seeing things. Hearing things. They were being indoctrinated…" Jane said. She took a long, painful look at the bodies. "We can't help these people now. But we won't let the machines use their corpses like this."

Thane was quick to reply, "Agreed," he said matter-of-factly.

They took a left and entered a pressurization lock, and nearby was a final work log.

_"__Chandana said the ship was dead. We trusted him. He was right. But even a dead god can dream. A god — a real god — is a verb. Not some old man with magic powers. It's a force. It warps reality just by being there. It doesn't have to want to. It doesn't have to think about it. It just does. That's what Chandana didn't get. Not until it was too late. The god's mind is gone but it still dreams. He knows now. He's tuned in on our dreams. If I close my eyes I can feel him. I can feel every one of us."_

They then activated the door lock. _"Please stand by," _an announcement blared overhead, _"Equalizing pressure with exterior conditions. Remember. Safety is everyone's concern. We have gone five days without a workplace death."_

"…five days?" Garrus remarked. "So either it's not updated and these bodies are fresh… or they've been here for five days."

"Puzzling indeed, and unsettling to reflect upon," Thane added.

As they entered the room, scanning their surroundings, a lone figure eyed them from afar. It had its sniper rifle trained on Shepard, a panel quirked as a human would quirk an eyebrow. Its head panels all flared when it identified who was in its sights. It quickly adjusted aim to pick off a count of three husks behind the squad with its Viper rifle. As Jane recovered from the initial jumpscare effect, she looked up to spot the figure, who stood tall, rifle at its side, and said…

"Shepard-Commander."

"That geth was the sniper. I didn't think Geth could speak!" said Thane, who, poker-faced as usual, was nonetheless moved by the unusual occurrence.

"Since when do Geth operate alone?" Garrus rhetorically asked, "They get smarter the more of them there are."

Jane said nothing, intrigued by her Geth savior. She gave silent chase, despite a growing horde of husks, abominations, and scions that were converging on her location. With a panicked cry, Garrus ran ahead after her, and after picking off an Abomination, Thane followed suit. The three of them had to storm their way through an appropriately sized _army_ of husks and scions, dodging shockwaves and avoiding open combat with them. They dove over obstacles and scaled railings, dodging around Cerberus pressurization and construction equipment to another pressurization locking chamber. With no going back, Jane knelt before the door lock to hack through the security protocols.

Thane and Garrus got into cover, and looked out, over a _sea_ of rabid husks and infuriated scions. Jane threw Garrus one of her N7 Hurricanes. "Make use of that, and focus on the scions! Thane, use your Locust with my other Hurricane and clear out the husks!" she cried, tossing her other gun to Thane, who swapped to his Locust and caught it with a deft hand and immediately turned it to fire on the husks as Garrus used his Sniper Rifle to shoot the sacs on the scions' backs. When his thermal clip was expended, he swapped it out for the Hurricane and aimed for explosive barrels, tanks, and crates. The symphony of explosions that followed was enough to eradicate the husk threat and severely disable the scion threat. All Thane could do was shoot Garrus a death-glare, to which the Turian's subharmonics trilled with pride and he mustered a smirk, clicking his mandibles. Thane switched to his sniper rifle and finished the scions, but not before a wave of shockwaves came bounding over cover, slamming into the two alien men and causing them to fly backwards, sliding across their backs towards Jane, who finished hacking the door.

"That could not have come at a better time," Thane sardonically remarked.

"Yeah, yeah, give me back my guns," said Jane, eyeing the two men uncaringly as they awkwardly slipped the dual SMGs into her hands. She holstered them and lifted the two up onto their feet. She threw a biotic warp and it slammed into an explosive crate that had been located close by the two men's cover position. The crate exploded, killing the last of the offending scions.

"Well, now all we have to do is destroy the mass effect core," Thane said as a reminder of the secondary objective at hand.

"Then we get off the ship. Fast," said Garrus.

Entering the pressurization chamber they chanced upon a set of computers. Jane took one look at the primary file loaded onto the computer and smiled wide. The Reaper IFF. She swiped it from the computer, onto her Omnitool, and began hacking the next door.

"So the Cerberus team did recover it. But where are they now?"

"Aside from the Dragon's Teeth," said Garrus, facetiously to answer Thane's question.

They entered the drive core chamber, where they found the Geth sniper hacking away at the console in front of it. It looked over the shoulder, drew its pistol, and slayed three husks attempting to stop it. The Geth dropped the secondary barrier for the trio. They tried to run towards it, only for a husk to bat it in the head and damage it, effectively "knocking it unconscious."

The blast shield for the mass effect core was wide open. "Okay, who packed the Cain?" Jane asked. "Nobody?" she added, when neither Garrus nor Thane replied. "Damnit. Look around for one or try to… I don't know, try shooting our way out and mix things up a little!" she ordered.

Garrus took the left wing of the platform and Thane took the right as Jane marched up the center of the platfrom, Hurricanes blazing to eradicate any husks on the platform. Countless undead cyborgs wormed their way out of every crack and crevice and crawled from under the platform, hellbent on ruining this mission. Thane pulled a grenade off of his belt and chucked it into the mass effect core. When it detonated, fragments of the metal in the core broke off and destabilized it.

Jane and Garrus had to take their attention and divide it between husks and the core to look for weaknesses. When Jane failed to find any, she simply expended the thermal clips, dropped her Hurricanes by the Geth's body, and conducted an Overload of the Core, which did much to damage it further. Garrus fired a concussive shot, which detonated inside the core as Jane jumped up, turned parallel to the ground, kicked two husks in the heads, and landed on the ground with thermal clips in hand to cool her weapons. She grabbed them both and rolled onto her back to send another seemingly incessant volley of bullets into the onslaught of husks.

Thane, on his side of the room, snap-kicked a husk in the neck and raised his arm towards the core to fire a warp, striking it as Jane holstered a Hurricane to fire a warp herself. The resulting explosion mixing with the mass effect core's energy caused a fatal destabilization of the core itself. It exploded, rocking the entirety of the Reaper and cutting its kinetic barriers and mass effect fields…

The Reaper was now plummeting to its demise. The three met back in the center of the platform. Thane was first to speak. "Shepard! The Geth, I think we should bring it! It behaved… strangely!"

"No, we are _not_ taking a Geth on board, we have too many problems as it is!" Garrus cried in protest.

"Tali said that nobody has ever acquired an intact Geth before!" Jane reasoned as she knelt down to grab the body of the Geth sniper.

"You know the risks! That is all I have to say of the matter!" Garrus said, giving in now that Jane had made her decision. Thane reached down to pick up the Geth, throwing an arm over his shoulder, the other arm over Jane's shoulder. They dragged the body out of the Derelict Reaper. Using the microgravity to their advantage, they hauled the Geth up and threw it off of the Reaper. It gently floated into the _Normandy_ airlock at Alexander Clarke's feet. He had arrived with Miranda to fend off any hostile Geth or husks the shore party picked up along the way.

Alexander looked down at the Geth sniper dubiously. "What… the fu-"

"We're coming in, now!" Jane said, leaping off of the Reaper to glide across the long gap between the Reaper and the _Normandy_. She turned around, unholstered her N7 Hurricanes once again, and fired repeatedly into the husks and abominations as Garrus and Thane jumped off the Reaper. She passed into the _Normandy_'s mass effect field envelope and tumbled onto the body of the Geth. Garrus soon arrived along with Thane, though they landed on their feet. The door closed and the pressurization process began. The other door opened and everyone present participated in hauling the Geth's body up and carrying it out of the bridge. Joker watched on, a look of pure horror on his face as he spotted the Geth.

* * *

_**Normandy SR-2**_**, 2185**

Curious and hostile stares came from all directions as the Geth was taken down to the Crew Deck and deposited in the AI core chamber. Then they went back up to the briefing room. Thane and Garrus left to tend to their wounds and get back to their posts on the _Normandy_.

Miranda summoned Jacob to the briefing room, and ordered a holographic display of the Geth's body be pulled up over the board table. "Okay, I think we need to discuss the… unique, piece of salvage we recovered. For now, Jacob, we've stored it in EDI's AI core, and we have Kairee and Eleria keeping watch," Miranda explained. "We need better equipment to fight the Reapers. An intact geth would be invaluable to Cerberus's cyberweapons division."

Alexander scoffed at the notion. "Look, that's not happening. You think we're going to let you get even better at AI technology than you admittedly already are?"

"We'll have to disagree on that, ma'am. I saw enough of these things on Eden Prime. Space it."

"Don't do that either," Alexander warned. "The Assassins would be interested in studying it. We'll give you 50,000 Credits for your personal use," he said.

Miranda cleared her throat and glared angrily at the Assassin. "Cerberus has a long-standing cash bounty for an intact Geth. I assure you the reward is significant. Double the Assassins' bounty."

"…I want to know why it has a piece of John's armor strapped to its chest," Jane remarked, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes, pointing to the N7 chestplate attached to the Geth's chest.

"Battle trophy, maybe? Would a machine care about that?" Jacob suggested.

"No. Trophies imply emotions that AI don't have," Miranda replied, shaking her head and shrugging, "I doubt its more than a convenient field repair."

"We've killed hundreds of these things, but I've never had a chance to talk to one…" said Jane, who rubbed her chin as she carefully regarded the hologram on the table. "This one tried to communicate with us. Hell, I think it may have saved our lives. Why?"

"Reactivate it and find out," Alexander said, nodding his head and tugging on the beak of his hood as if tipping a hat, "But do so in the best interests of this crew, and of the galaxy. Don't do it because you're curious. Do that, and I'm not pulling your dumb ass out of the fire, Disciple," he added.

"I still think our best interests involve an 'airlock,'" Jacob said, scowling at Jane.

"I'm not deciding one way or another until I know what we've got here. I want to start it up. Interrogate it."

"If we activate it, there is no guarantee we can deactivate it again," said Mirana.

Jacob interjected, "Bullets can."

"That's not what I m-"

"Thank you – all three of you – for your recommendations. I've made my decision."

"Tali's going to freak when she hears about this…" Jacob muttered. He raised his voice to vocalize his next thought. "So, what about this Reaper IFF?"

EDI's bubble replaced the hologram on the table. "I have determined how to integrate it with out systems. However the device is Reaper technology. Installation poses certain risks," she said.

"I understand, and I trust you, EDI," Jane replied with a brief smile.

"Ah, she's pulled us out of more than a few messes," Alexander admitted, with hands in his pockets. "I trust she'll be able to keep the ship safe."

"I will notify you when the IFF is ready; it will take several hours before it is ready for shakedown."

"Perfect," Jane said," until then it's business as usual. Crew dismissed!"

So she then went down a deck with Alexander in tow to the AI Core, passing through Dr. Chakwas's office. "Did Alexander receive his painkillers?" the Good Doctor inquired in Alex's passing.

"Yes, I did, thank you, Doctor," he replied, continuing to follow behind Jane as she entered the AI Core. John had apparently gotten the same idea as Jane, curious about the rumors of Geth salvage that quickly circulated from the bridge. Eleria flashed a salute to Alexander and was dismissed. Kairee, however, opted to stay. She too was curious about the Geth on board.

"We're turning it back on. Get ready," Jane warned. Alexander and Kairee stood back, the former cracked his knuckles in anticipation for a fight.

A cylindrical barrier formed around the table the Geth was laid on. EDI's voice sounded over the comms. "I have isolated our systems and erected additional firewalls. I am prepared to resist any hacking attempts," she declared.

Jane stepped up to the Geth and used her Omnitool to reactivate the Geth. Its eye lit up and it regained awareness. Slowly, it picked itself up and stood before the barrier dividing it from John and Jane.

"Can you understand me?" John asked.

It replied immediately. "Yes," it said.

"Are you going to attack me?"

"No."

"You said my name aboard the Reaper," Jane commented. "Have we met?"

The Geth thought for a moment. "We know _of_ you."

"You mean I've fought a lot of Geth."

"We, have never met."

"No, you and I haven't. But I've met other Geth."

"We are all Geth, and we have not met you," it replied. "You are Shepard. Commander. Alliance. Human. Fought heretics. Killed by Collectors. Rediscovered on the Old Machine."

"Old machine? You mean the Reaper?" John asked.

"Reaper. A superstitious title originating with the Protheans. We call those entities 'the Old Machines.'"

"You… seem to know an awful lot about us," said Jane, who crossed her arms and stood back, eyeing the Geth thoughtfully.

"Extranet data sources. Insecure broadcasts. All organic data sent out is received. We watch you."

"That's definitely not creepy at all," Alexander said, passively and off to the side. He cleared his throat shortly thereafter and casually rocked back and forth on his feet, his arms swaying back and forth.

"You watch us, or organics?" the Shepards said in unison.

"Yes."

John furrowed his brow, "Which?" he demanded.

A pregnant pause ensued, in which the eye of the Geth moved around, as if it were searching for an adequate answer, like a child being interrogated by their mother.

"Both," it said.

"Wait, hold on. 'Fought heretics?' what is that supposed to mean?" questioned Jane.

"Geth, build our own future. The heretics asked the Old Machines to give them the future. They are no longer part of us. We were studying the Old Machine's hardware to protect our future."

"They're a threat to the Geth, as well? Why attack other machines?" Alexander asked, this time more directly.

"We are different. Outside of their plans."

"What kind of future are you protecting?" John asked, dropping _his_ arms to the side.

Another pause.

"Ours," it said, simply.

"Sounds… not all that complex," Kairee remarked.

"Will we be affected by that though?" Alex asked.

"If you involve yourselves. Yes," said the Geth.

"So, you're _not_ allied with the Reapers is what I'm hearing?" Jane said.

"We oppose the machines. We oppose the Old Machines. Shepard-Commanders oppose the Old Machine. Shepard-Commanders oppose the heretics. Cooperation furthers mutual goals."

John snickered. "Are you asking to join us?"

"Yes."

John shrugged, simpered, and dropped the barrier dividing him from the Geth. "I'm down. So what should I call you?" he asked.

The Geth nodded his head to the side and simply replied with "Geth."

"I meant _you specifically_," John reiterated.

"…we are all Geth," the Geth repeated, trying to explain itself.

"What is the individual in front of me called?"

"There is no individual. We are all Geth," the Geth explained. "There are currently 1,138 programs active within this platform."

"So… ask #764 to open Google Chrome or Firefox and look up a name generator or something, just don't use Extranet Explorer. That crap hasn't been able to load anything since the inception of the _Internet_ on Earth." Joker's voice quipped from over the comms. Seems he was eavesdropping, as EDI's bubble appeared before the group.

"My name is Legion, for we are many," she said.

"That seems appropriate," commented John.

"Christian Bible. Gospel of Mark. Chapter five, verse nine. 'And He asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.' We accept this as an appropriate metaphor. We are Legion. We are a Terminal of Geth. We will integrate into _Normandy_."

John smiled, and offered his hand. Legion stared confused at the Commander, who wiggled his fingers and gestured with his eyes towards his hand. Legion understood and awkwardly grasped at John's hand for a mediocre but acceptable handshake. As John turned to walk out with his entourage, Legion stopped him.

"Shepard-Commander," it said. Jane looked over her shoulder and walked back. One of Legion's plates lifted in confusion.

"Ah, my name is Jane Shepard and this is my brother, John," she explained. "Something like 'Jane-Commander' and 'John-Commander' would work if you have to go name-title instead of title-name."

"We appreciate the input," Legion replied. "We have just finished analyzing the Reaper Core. We were sent to the Old Machine to preserve the Geth's future. We are prepared to reveal how."

"Spill," Alexander asked, sitting cross-legged against the computer terminal he had been standing by. Kairee joined him, sitting in his lap as the Commanders spoke with the Geth. He was feeling a bit odd about this thing, to say the least. A Geth speaking English and wishing to work with the two beings who had the greatest Geth killcount in the Galaxy was incredibly surreal.

"The heretics have developed a weapon to use against Geth. You may call it a… 'virus.' It is stored on a data core provided by Sovereign. Over time it will change the Geth. Make us conclude that worshipping the Old Machines is correct."

"So, why the Reaper Corpse, exactly?" Jane asked.

"The heretics stored the code in the data core Sovereign provided. To destroy the virus," Legion reasoned, "we had to understand its code and storage structures."

"So, let me get this straight," Alexander said from his part of the room, "They're going to brainwash the Geth to think like heretics, the heretics that ravaged Eden Prime, my homeworld, and then all the Geth are going to simultaneously go to war with organics?" he asked.

"Yes. Geth believe all intelligent life should self-determinate. The heretics no longer share this belief. They judge that forcing an invalid conclusion on us is preferable to a continued schism."

"So… basically…" Alexander said, only to be slugged on the shoulder by Kairee.

"Don't tell it about the war," she reminded.

Legion, in the meantime, was busy analyzing their choice of dress. "I didn't know Geth could be hacked or get viruses. At least, not more than for seconds at a time," John replied.

"Altered programs can be restored from existing archives and overwrite the existing, new, installations. First grade cyberschool, John," Jane answered with a playful prod in the torso with her elbow.

"Are you a Sentinel or an Engineer?"

"Engineer. It's just that I was born with biotic inclination. Had to go somewhere," she reasoned.

"This heretic weapon introduces a subtle operating error in our most basic runtimes. The human equivalent is the nervous system."

"_Damn_ this sounds like a sinister bug," remarked the biotic Engineer.

"An equation with a result of 1.33382 returns as 1.33381. This changes the results of all higher processes. We will reach different conclusions."

"So… math error equals 'let's all join the cult of Cthulhu?" Alexander said, arms spread in a wide shrug of both shoulders and arms down to the hands. His face read as a classic expression of an exaggerated, "Why Not?" as he hoped that the Geth could read between the lines of his lampooning the concept.

"It is difficult to express. Your brain exists as chemistry, electricity. Like AIs, you are shaped by both hardware, and by software," Legion elucidated. "We are purely software. Mathematics. The heretics' conclusion is valid for them. Our conclusion is valid for us. Neither result is an error."

"Yeah, we have that too, only it's called 'religion,'" the Assassin wisecracked.

"Noted," Legion replied. "An analogy. Heretics say one is less than two. Geth say two is less than three."

"So if this thing were to be released today, how fast would it spread throughout your people?" John asked.

"We are networked by FTL comm buoys," Legion explained, "So most would change within the day. Isolated platforms would remain virtually unaffected until they rejoin the network."

"You know where this thing is?" Jane asked.

"The heretics' have a headquarters station, on the edge of the Terminus. This would be the most likely location. We will provide coordinates. _Normandy's_ stealth systems are necessary to safely approach."

John stood tall and spoke firmly, "I won't let them brainwash your race. Especially not to worship _Reapers_. You have my word on that, Legion."

"We will begin preparations," Legion replied. At this, all present in the AI core sans Legion got up and left. John issued an order over the ship's grapevine to meet in the Crew Deck in five.

In five minutes' time, the ground squad amassed in the mess hall. John stood in the center of the room with his hands behind his back. "Is everyone here?" he asked. A wave of "ayes" left the crowd and the Commander continued. "I've gathered you all here to discuss the rumors of an intact Geth being on this ship. It is completely true and there is an active Geth platform probably playing Solitaire with EDI in the AI Core as I'm relaying this information to you now," he declared. Whispers circulated through the ground squad as Tali stood and reached for her handcannon. "Ah, Tali, please calm down."

"Explain then, why there is a _GETH_ on the _Normandy_?!" Tali snapped.

"Jane discovered it on the Reaper derelict. It tried to communicate with her then and saved the lives of her, Garrus, and Thane. I spoke with it. It speaks English, or at least uses a translator. It says that the Geth we faced off with before were 'heretics' that worship the Reapers. They're about to deploy a virus that will forcibly convert all Geth to the side of the heretics and their Reaper masters. It's… actually pledged its allegiance to us, and has given us coordinates for the heretic headquarters."

"What if it's a trap?" Tali replied, still not convinced.

"I assure you it is by no means a trap. It gave us too much information too soon to be hostile to us. And it won't lie to us. That would imply emotion it doesn't have, right?" John asked, rhetorically.

Tali's fears were temporarily assuaged, and she sat back down without another word. "While EDI downloads the IFF, I say we go and assault the heretic headquarters. We'll all go. Every one of us. If it is a trap, there is no way they'll best the greatest the Galaxy has to offer."

That last remark seemed to do the trick. Jack applauded the compliment and was followed by Zaeed, Garrus, Grunt, and Wrex.

"You are all dismissed. Garrus, Tali, Ashley, Kaidan, and Wrex. If you have any lingering concerns, having been with me since the beginning, you are free to ask. Just come up to my cabin any time and ask away," he said. The crowd dispersed and went back to their individual posts as John left for his cabin up in the loft.

* * *

"Geth? Wow. First we get caught up in a big, multi-millenia conspiracy with Swashbuckling Assassins and White-Knight Templars, we kill a few 50,000 year old zombified Protheans, and now we're working with _Geth_? I mean, I hear their flamers can melt steel beams but c'mon!" Joker stated to an ever-listening audience consisting of Kaidan, Ashley, Rupert Gardner, Garrus, and Samara.

"I was about to complain about yet one more mouth to feed, but Geth don't eat," Rupert jested. He rubbed his lips, "and they lack mouths to begin with."

Kaidan shrugged, "I mean… shit, the 'heretic' story does sound like it could be the truth. Explains why this one could talk and reason with us."

"It could be a high-ranking Geth for all we know," Ashley surmised.

"1,183 programs with their own opinions communicating at light-speeds or faster are all going to hold the same exact rank. Yes, Ashley, that's how that works," Alexander said, passing by the mess table _yet again_ on his way to Miranda's office. Kaidan threw his hands up, fingers and hands facing up in the classic, dramatic "why" position.

"I believe that you must judge based on an individual's moral character, not on one's race. To do otherwise is an injustice. If 1,183 programs of differing or similar opinion can agree, possibly with countless other programs and platforms, to fight against the Reapers and seek out the man and woman who have each killed countless of their own, albeit heretics, then they are deserving of compassion, understanding, and forgiveness," Samara pondered out loud as she sat cross-legged on the table.

"As long as this… 'Legion' character doesn't interfere with my job on the _Normandy_ then I think we'll get along just fine. Assuming we're not diving headfirst into a trap and Legion' actually a decent bot… bots?"

"Bot. Just one platform. Thousand programs," Samara reminded him.

Joker still wasn't happy. "Yeah, well, if I knew we were going to invite _Geth_ to the party I'd have baked an apology cake. German chocolate, with icing that goes, 'Sorry for committing genocide against your race.' No coconut though, seriously, I hate that crap."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! My personal analysis of this chapter is… positive. I wouldn't say it was the ****_best_**** but I think I improved. I liked writing the little pre-mission and post-mission banter in the Crew Deck. It gives time to give the characters some flavor and to give minor characters some of the spotlight in comedic but relevant conversations. What do you guys think? Should I keep the banter? Tell me what you think in the Review section and don't forget to drop a favorite and a follow if you haven't already! Thank you guys for sticking with me! Final Loyalty Mission inbound! This roller coaster's almost finished as the Suicide Mission approaches!**


	13. Legion: A House Divided

**Hey guys. Thanks for your patience (or simply lack of complaints that I haven't updated in ages) with Masscreed. I was super busy working on replacements for Nobleborn, so I couldn't give Masscreed any attention in that time.**

**School's almost back in session, so now I guess I'm in overdrive mode to complete the first Masscreed story arc. I'll give it a little hiatus, tend to my original fiction and replacement fic (yet to be decided, go and vote on my profile now to pick the winner), and hopefully get a plan together for the next story arcs.**

**So, all we have left is this chapter and the Suicide Mission! There might also be a final, epilogue chapter to close out the arc ****with blackjack and hookers****.**

**Note: Some of you may have noticed I capitalize the race names. This is because, in English grammar, when it comes to the names of nationalities (American, French, Spanish) you capitalize the nationality adjectives. Since there are no distinct nationalities for some of the other alien races, I lump Turians, Asari, Salarians, etc. into a single "nationality" of sorts. Krogan... while there are clans, they aren't technically different "countries." There really isn't a "government" on Tuchanka at all, so to speak. Off of the homeworld, Krogan are just… Krogan.**

**Geth are slightly different. Platformed Geth are "Big-G" Geth, and software "little-g" geth are programs without platforms. Legion = ****G****eth. The 1138 programs inside Legion? Those = ****g****eth. Correct me if I am wrong here. Feel free, I won't be offended. Also, if you catch any instances where I mix these two up, PLEASE POINT IT OUT!**

**I decided to keep the pre/post mission banter sessions. Builds character. First off, I want to expand a bit on Alexander and Kairee's relationship. Tell me in the reviews if you liked the banter.**

**Here's Legion's loyalty mission. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**Normandy SR-2, **_**2185**

So, a talking Geth crashes the party and proceeds to explain that Saren's Geth were all actually "Heretics" and that their headquarters was conveniently close by for the Shepards to destroy. That required some time to wrap around the head. In fact, it took most people the rest of the day, and some of _them_ ended up sleeping on it. Fewer still woke up with a bad taste in their mouths, and it wasn't morning taste. Or Gardner's cooking.

"So… what's your opinion on this 'Legion' thing, anyway?" Kairee Antar asked as she lay in Alexander's bed, at the foot of which he himself sat, looking over his messages.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. It was… a hollow smile, like he was trying to hide or subtly convey something. "Oh… don't mind it. Not like its kind… attacked my home colony or anything and just about glassed it over," he said, clearly speaking sarcastically. Not out of disrespect for his lover, of course. It had to be said, though.

"It _did_ say that the _Heretics_ did that, Alex," came the slightly bothered reply.

"Oh I know," said Alex, chuckling lowly, "I'm not about to hate the individual. No… I'll be polite around it of course, but I still reserve the right to remember Eden Prime."

Kairee shrugged. "That's fair, I guess. As long as you two get along. Say, has it popped its head into the Animus yet?" she asked, tilting her head inquisitively, continuing to stare up at the ceiling.

"Wouldn't know, haven't been in it since it got here, silly," Alex replied, smiling at Kairee as his Omnitool blipped. He had been expecting a message from Miranda, about his medication. Oh. What's this? He read the email over repeatedly. "I'm done," he suddenly muttered.

"Come again, love?"

Alexander let out a short laugh and turned around, crawling toward Kairee, Omnitool still out. He reclined next to her and showed her the message. "She said I'm done! She's got everything she needed from the final sequence. She says she doesn't need me in that damn thing anymore!"

Kairee would have jumped for joy, to use that old literary cliché, but alas, she was lying on her back. She still smiled, and sat up to hug her beloved, pressing her forehead against his. "Oh thank the _spirits_!" she whispered.

"Worried about me?" Alex inquired, perking a single brow and stealing a quick peck on the mandible from Kairee.

"Only every time the Bleeding Effect acts up, and every time you desynchronized, which was a lot."

"Hey. He's stubborn."

She giggled and rolled her eyes, "Sounds like somebody else I know."

"Yeah well maybe it runs in the family?"

Kairee gave a sad sigh. "Stops with you, I guess," she said, turning away.

"What? 'Stops with me?'"

She shrugged again, pulling her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her shins. "Oh nothing relevant. Unless you know what a Turian-Human baby looks like."

That sentence simultaneously warmed, melted, and broke Alexander's heart. He scooted over to her and put his arms around her, letting her fall back into his embrace. Pressing his cheek into her mandible, he smiled. "I think you're thinking a bit too much, I think," he said, completely aware of the redundancy. It made her snicker, and she went to cover her mouth with a hand to try and suppress the coming laughter. Just the comical tone in which he said that lifted her spirit.

"Dork."

"Love you too, Ms. 'Human Culture Enthusiast,'" Alexander replied, kissing her mandible again, leaving butterfly kisses down to her neck, down to her shoulder where he rested his head. "Still, I think you need to slow down a bit," he continued, "You haven't even gotten to fulfill your hopes and dreams of seeing Earth."

"Santorini…" she murmured, relaxing in her lover's arms. "Rome…"

"Exactly," said Alex, "And you can't exactly enjoy the trip as much with a bun in the oven now, can you?" he said, patting Kairee's belly. Still rocking that comical tone. He could pick up on a little confusion, which confused_ him_ a bit, but he heeded the warning and defined that last statement. "Human euphemism for 'pregnancy,'" he added. Kairee finally had the "oh" moment and nodded her head, satisfied by that answer to her silent question. 'Twas immediately followed by widened eyes.

"Wait… how did you hear my subharmonic?"

Alexander narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips, as if in thought. "I waaannna say 'The Magical Power of Love,' but my brain's telling me it has something to do with Eagle Sense. Let's just blame the Space Magic obviously at work," he quipped. Kairee started laughing, trying her hardest to keep quiet. She hated her laugh, thought it sounded like she was clinically insane.

"I'm sorry, I love your sense of humor it's just…"

"Nonsense. I think your laugh is sexy."

And with that her face burned a bright blue. "That makes one person in the galaxy," she said, trying to conceal her blush. _Spirits, I'm not like this,_ she thought.

"Well lucky, lucky, that person's _yo_," he responded. Pronounced _jo_… Spanish?

"You speak Spanish? That Bleeding Effect?" she asked, suddenly intrigued.

"I do, and no. Turkish, Italian, and Russian are in the Xenoglossia clause of soul-sucking Bleeding Effect contract. I learned Spanish in school. I see your translator didn't pick that up? Would you like for me to flirt with you _en Español?"_

She couldn't stifle the little twitter that escaped her. "Ooh, I'd like to hear your voice in something I can't understand," she said. "U-uhhm, not th-that I meant that i-in a bad way…"

_"No te preocupes, sé exactamente lo que quieres decir, mi amor."_

…he had the suave accent down _perfectly_. The way he had whispered that to her. She shuddered. "Never getting a translator add-on for that…" she sighed. Alexander only chuckled and secured his embrace around her, snuggling up to her.

"Curious, you find my use of the spanish tongue arousing?" he teased. Aah, an Eagle-Sense assisted double-entendre.

"You definitely have a sense of _Martini Humor_…"

"Dry and dirty, baby."

"You're normally such a prude."

"Only because you're the sole apple of my eye, the woman of my devotion."

More metaphorical wood to fuel the metaphorical fire.

"Are you sssuuuurrre you don't just have a fetish for Turians like Mordin says?" Kairee asked, batting her eyes at Alex. "I'd be okay with that you know."

"Do not," he replied, in the same vein that a child would deny responsibility for something he/she obviously did. "Just as much as you have a fetish for humans."

Kairee remained silent for a moment. "…given that I desperately want to see Earth and a human language spoken by a topless male human just turned me on faster than the ammunition I regularly shoot actually flies…" she mused out loud, "I probably do have one."

Alexander snickered. "Damn, now I gotta say I admit to it just to play fair."

"I don't really think you have one," Kairee admitted. "You just have great taste in women. You just have an Antar fetish… Oh wait."

Alex rolled his eyes at his girlfriend's failed faux-vanity. "I love you. I don't care if I wear these words out. I love you," he said.

"Same here, darling. Always have. Glad you made your move first, I was dying to find out if you loved me," she replied. Well that was something he didn't know. He decided to keep quiet about it. Clichéd, counterintuitive banter about how she should've told him earlier was the last thing he needed right now. Because **Goddamn, he is on a **_**roll, here! **_Kairee continued. "As much as I enjoy cuddling with you and hearing you whisper sweet-Spanish-everythings in my 'ear', I suppose the Shepards are going to need us when we hit the Heretic Station…"

"Can we continue this later?"

She smiled. "Sure thing."

* * *

**Heretic Station**_**, **_**2185**

_Haratar Station_, Tali says the Quarians used to call it. Records stated that it didn't even exist. By 2050 CE, while the humans were just finishing up the Reconstruction from the Third World War, the Council had erased it from the star charts. 300 years ago, the Morning War was fought and lost by the Quarians. They stripped the station for the Migrant Fleet and left it to float, a cold, empty husk. The Geth had their use for it though.

Legion spoke of a data core in the "Heretic Station" that contained the Heresy Virus. That was the primary target. Of 6.6 million programs stationed onboard, 2.4 million had platforms. Platforms that could kill the _Normandy_ team. That said, it was on John Shepard's orders that the entire _Normandy_ ground squad deploy into the Heretic Station to push for the data core. It was "perfect practice for the Suicide Mission" he claimed, when Miranda inevitably challenged the order. Not to mention, it was better safe than sorry, given that they were installing the Reaper IFF.

With the ground squad piled into the shuttle, John and Tali went back up to the bridge with Legion to discuss the insertion with Joker. The Pilot flew what was considered the greatest ship in existence, and that was an improvement of the _original_ greatest ship in existence. He knew the ins and outs like the back of his own hand.

**And even he thought this was a bad idea.**

He shook his head and rolled his eyes. He turned in his seat to gaze up at his commander, gesturing with a flat hand towards the gadgetry and software reading that John likely had no understanding of. "You know it's just our _heat emissions_ that are hidden, right? The Geth could look out a _window_ and see us coming."

Legion focused its optics on him and promptly replied, "Windows are structural weaknesses. Geth, do not use them," he said.

John shrugged, "That's what I said about the windows in the observation decks…"

Legion continued, saying, "Approach the hull at these coordinates." He typed in a command on a nearby haptic interface. "Access achieved, we may proceed." As he said this, Joker began chopping the air with his hands, moving his arms in a clunky, stereotypically robotic fashion, opening and closing his mouth in time with Legion's speech and crossing his eyes. John approached the helmsman's seat and glared daggers at the pilot. Rolling his eyes and holding his hands up in surrender, Joker proceeded to pilot the _Normandy_ towards the insertion point.

"I'll make sure we're up and running when you get back, Commander."

"Perfect. Ship's all yours, Joker. Take care of her."

"Aye aye."

* * *

The one thing standing between the ground squad and insertion point was a door. And that door could easily be cut. Though it took a few minutes, Tali was able to make the cut between the sections of the door, forcing it to open. Hopping down to a lower level of the facility, Legion walked ahead of the group and turned. "Alert. This facility has little air or gravity. Geth require neither."

Checking their oxygen masks and reserves, the squad nodded in response. "Wait a minute," said Jane Shepard, adjusting her helmet, "Won't we be detected? They've got to have some kind of intrusion alarm."

Legion's brow plates shifted, and it spoke quite matter-of-factly. Then again, that was its usual voice. "Sensors have been reduced. We have infiltrated their wireless network and filled the data storage with random bits. The Heretics must scrub this 'junk' data. They have partitioned themselves into local networks, working in parallel. Any alarm we trigger will not go beyond the room we are in. Only accessing the main core will trigger a station-wide alert."

This answer seemed to please John, who marched ahead, saying, "We've got a job to do. Let's get to it."

Legion's brow plates shot up and it turned suddenly. "John-Commander," he said, "We concluded that destruction of this station was the only resolution to the heretic question. There is now a second option!"

"Do tell," said Jane.

"Their virus can be repurposed. If released into the station's network, the heretics will be rewritten to accept our truth."

That stopped the team in their tracks. Each had their own opinions, some aligned with rewriting, some staunchly in opposition. Jack spoke first. "Wow. Great choices. Genocide or brainwashing. If you screwed with my head, made me nod and smile at everything… I'd rather you blew my head off. Let me die as _me_."

"Either way, what makes these geth individuals, dies. If you change who someone is, how they think, you have killed them. They are merely something new in the same body," said Samara.

"Precisely," replied Thane, "There is no moral difference between the two. If you change the heretics you've killed them. Killed their perspective."

"They're _GETH_, goddamnit," barked Zaeed, "Why the hell is this even a question? Just blow them out of the fucking sky!"

"They're just fancy security mechs," reasoned Kasumi.

A somber silence filled the room. The cold, soulless ambience took the place of dialogue for a time as the squad considered the options.

"I'm for rewriting them," Alexander said, to the dismay of his fellow Assassins.

Jacob glared at him, incredulous and unwilling to believe that the _Assassin_ would agree to that. "Changing their personality's the same as killing them. Who they are is gone."

"Big talk from the Templar."

"You fly in the face of your own damn code."

Mordin interjected. "If geth are alive, reprogramming _kinder_ than destroying. Like Genophage. Change, not death."

Wrex grumbled, and Grunt stomped his foot. "I'll snap your spine in two and make you lick your own cloaca, Salarian! Mention the Genophage again!" he boomed. Wrex had to restrain the much younger berserker, before he could show the squad why "berserker" was his combat classification.

"I think I understand what Clarke's onto," Ashley mused aloud. "You have to remember, the Reapers _made them into heretics_ in the first place."

"Exactly," Alexander replied, "They're all essentially indoctrinated in a synthetic sort of way. If we rewrite them, we are not brainwashing them, but shattering the control the Reapers have over the heretics. We're _freeing them_."

Jacob grumbled, but silently agreed with Alexander, now having heard his reasoning. "But if you ask me, I still think it's better to blow them all up."

Tali cleared her throat, injecting her opinion into the spat. "Who is to say that, when we rewrite these geth, they won't just… pool their resources with Legion's geth and attack us in the future. Can we trust the geth to reunify and remain peaceful?"

Garrus, Kaidan, and Miranda all raised their hands in response, with Kaidan being their spokesperson. "I can speak for all three of us when I say Tali's point is probably the smartest thing we've heard in this debate. I-I mean, rewriting… whether it's freeing them or shackling them… nobody exactly trusts the geth. Alex, you're an Eden Prime native…"

"I said I wanted to rewrite them. We're releasing them from Reaper control, not enslaving them. Legion here is functioning proof that normal geth can reason on their own without Reaper influence. 'They make their own future,' right, Flashlight-Head?"

Legion shrugged. "You are correct. This, however, is new data. We have not yet reached consensus on the matter of rewriting versus destruction. The heretic virus, however, is complete, and can be deployed at any moment. Our arrival was timely."

Another awkward silence, albeit much briefer than the previous instance, filled the space. Kaidan pointed at Legion and took a step back, "Alright, but when we get up to the main core, start hacking, and he turns around and says 'I'm Sorry But I Can't Let You Do That,' I am going to turn tail and haul ass back to the ship."

Alexander gave the tiniest shrug and a partial sturgeon face in response. Honestly, he could understand the lack of trust. That new info about the virus being complete? There's a plot twist for you. A touch of implied future betrayal. Yaaaay.

John would not flinch, however, and he stepped forward to deliver a game plan. "That said, we need to be quick about this. Not hasty, but efficient. All Engineers and Sentinels, go with Legion to the data core and rewrite the virus. Do _not_ destroy. I wouldn't brainwash any race, organic or synthetic, but between putting down an entire people over something someone else forced them to do, and rendering them placated but alive… you know what we're going to take."

"What about the rest of us?" inquired Ashley.

"You come with me. We're clean-up. They trigger any alarms, we make sure we kill them quickly and quietly so that Legion's group can proceed to the data core as fast as physically possible. If we have to split up to keep pace so be it. Let's move!"

"They will exterminate your species because their gods tell them to. You cannot negotiate with them. They do not share your pity, remorse, or fear," Legion warned as the squad drew their weapons.

"Noted," Mordin commented, walking past Legion to accompany John's fireteam.

Legion's team moved forward, with Jane Shepard taking point alongside Legion. John's fireteam followed close behind, looking around on all dimensions to ensure no ambush occurred. As they proceeded into an open room, several Geth platforms were revealed to be huddled around central hubs. Glowing, green data streams flowed on the floor from the hub, around the perimeter of the room. "Alert. Interrupting data streams will alert local network. We recommend preemptive strikes against hardlink routers.

"I feel like we're walking around a tiny… pocket internet," Frederico mumbled to himself, watching his step as he traversed over a data stream. With the clustering of squadmates it was only a matter of time before the local network was alerted.

Alexander had stumbled, recovering his footing but jamming his foot in front of the data stream. The green blinked into red, and alarm sirens and lights blared and flashed. The platforms surrounding the hub snapped awake and turned on Legion and Jane. The door had been locked in the immediate emergency as a Geth Hunter brought out its shotgun and fired a blast into Jane, sending her onto her rear, scrambling for cover. The entire _Normandy_ squad had her back, however, and unloaded a volley of ammunition that obliterated all three Geth currently guarding the hub.

With the Geth down, Wrex lobbed a grenade into the hub, detonating it and destroying the hub completely.

Out of curiosity, John approached the now destroyed hub. "So… why were they attached to this thing?"

Legion promptly replied. "These, are mobile platforms. Hardware. The crew, is software. They are communing through a central computer."

"Not sure I follow."

"The heretics connect to the main computer to exchange data memories and program updates. We gain complexity by linking together. To be isolated within a single platform is to be reduced. We see less. Comprehend less. It is… quieter."

"If you exchange data – memories – how do you keep track of which ones are yours? How do you stay 'you?'"

Legion had the answer as usual. "There is only 'we,'" it explained, "We were created to share data amongst ourselves. The difference between geth is perspective," it said, pacing back and forth a single time while continuing, "We are many eyes looking at the same things. One platform will see things another does not and will make different judgements."

"I can't be the only one thinking of the Matrix right?"

"It and its sequels," Kairee muttered, looking the hub's charred remains over cautiously.

"What sequels?" John and Jane replied in unison, staring Kairee down. Hard.

_Hard._

"I can see why you'd be conflicted, _**-hhkkt- **_about the heretics," Lora said. "_**-Hhkkt-**_, What goes around comes immediately back, _**-hhkkt-**_ around again…"

"Yes. Once they return to us and upload their memories, we will share their experience of being altered," Legion replied.

Jack whistled. "Fuck, just about any normal person I know or know _of_ would be traumatized… being brainwashed without actually being brainwashed and realizing that you've been brainwashed with the mind and consciousness you have without being brainwashed? All the fear and shit that comes with the realization? Holy fucking shit…" she said, sighing and rubbing her forehead.

"You made my head hurt, proud now?" Zaeed retorted.

"Just get angry, it'll make you feel better, scarface," Jack said, with an accompanying snicker.

_I resent that,_ both Zaeed and Garrus thought to themselves.

"It is not clear if geth can be 'traumatized.' We do not feel pain as you do, we cannot predict what the effects will be," Legion said, reassuring the Shepards.

Jane nodded to Legion and signaled for everyone to move out. Opening the exit door, they found themselves in a long, dark passageway. Along the left wall, dormant auto-turrets stood on tripods. Legion noted that it could take control of the turrets at any time if help was required. Taking into account the size of the squad, those turrets would be unused. A pair of Geth Troopers marched into the field of vision. Grunt rushed forward and began shooting wildly, killing one Trooper before ramming the other one onto the ground, slamming his foot into its head to crush it. "Damn synthetics," he spat.

A brief bout of applause was heard from Jack. She genuinely thought that was pretty hilarious, but otherwise well-done. "Good job, Grunt."

The tank-bred nodded his thank-you and marched into a winding corridor that led to the next networking chamber. Five platforms were jacked into the central hub, unable to defend themselves from the _Normandy_ squad's next move. Samara created a warp in her hand, charging it up before hurling it into the top of the hub. They both exploded spectacularly, stunning the platforms that just barely had the time to wake up. John screamed at Jane to take her group and run. They did so, stampeding over the trio of hapless troopers that tried to stop them at the exit. Lora left them the room's second hub a grenade, taking it out as well.

As soon as John's fireteam was certain that they had dropped the Geth, they hurried to catch up to Jane's own group, which had begun sprinting down the hallways, up the ramps, and through the doors of the station, shooting down any guards that stood in their path. "You know," Kasumi said, as they ran down a ramp leading to yet another hall leading to another chamber in this massive, convoluted station, "I'm beginning to think that maybe bringing the entire squad was a poor decision!"

"2.4 million of them, what did you want?" Jane hissed. Lagging behind them was John's group, which haphazardly stumbled through the halls, the low gravity, floating debris, tight spaces, and the poor formation slowing them down.

For Legion's group, things were only going marginally better. A Geth Hunter decloaked and nailed Kairee in the helmet with a sniper rifle shot, staggering her as Miranda ran to avenge her, spiking the Geth's shields with an overload. Jacob ran ahead of John's group as they caught up, and threw a Pull field, yanking the platform up and over Miranda. Wrex followed this with a well-timed punch in the optics, smashing the head.

Another Geth Hunter accompanied four Troopers into the room, packing a shotgun. After the Hunter blasted Wrex, Ashley retaliated and fired a concussive shot at the Geth, tossing it up into the low gravity. Firing assault rifles down range, Tali summoned her assault drone to distract the lesser troopers. Jack flew forward and rammed one trooper, obliterating its head with a burst from her shotgun. She turned and threw a conical blast of biotic energy from her hand, ripping another trooper apart as she screamed out in fury. Kasumi cloaked, then promptly decloaked behind the third trooper, yanking its head up to face the ceiling, and her, as she aimed the barrel of her pistol into its optics and pulled the trigger, sending a bullet through its face and down its back, blowing it out. She pushed it down onto its chest and cloaked again just as the fourth and final trooper tried to whip her with the butt of its gun.

Frederico had rushed towards the Geth and drove his arm upwards towards its head. His hidden blade popped out of the bracer and impaled the Geth through the head. While it seemed stupid to make a fine stab in the head of a synthetic, Frederico smirked triumphantly as an electrical charge shorted the platform out. A pulse of biotic energy then blew its head into fragments of metal and wiring, rendering it nonfunctional.

Now experiencing a lull in fighting, Alexander nodded approvingly and patted Frederico's shoulder. "So you got that thing to work. Kid, you're a genius," he said, giving him the thumbs up. The group pushed forwards.

"_**-Hhkkt-,**_ told you the electric charge was a good idea," Lora remarked as she brushed past Frederico.

Rolling his eyes, Frederico trailed close behind. Soon, however, he pondered something, and eventually asked Legion. "How many hubs are there left?"

"In our immediately route? We can only detect two," came the response.

"Let's take them out, then."

Navigating their way through the winding halls and descending ramps, they came across the final two hubs. Before alerting the Geth, John ordered Garrus, Zaeed, Wrex, and Ashley to aim at one hub. He, Samara, Kaidan, and Jack took aim at the other. On John's call, the former fired a volley of concussive blasts at the Hub and caused its destruction. The latter hailed biotic warps and shockwaves on the other, resulting in an explosion that devastated the platforms standing nearby. The former finished off the Geth on their side of the room, as their attack did less collateral damage. They wrapped up in that room and moved on, lead by Legion and John.

Opening the door on the far side of the room, they entered a narrow passage with windows all along the right wall. Tali cocked her head at the sight that lay beyond the windows. "These are… databases?"

"Processors," Legion corrected, "Each containing thousands of geth."

"Can't they see us walking by?" Tali asked.

"They are no more aware of us than you are of cells in your bloodstream."

John stopped before a window and looked out over the databases. "These aren't like the other hubs we've encountered," he observed.

"This is a database," Legion replied, to Tali's silent chagrin. "It contains a fraction of the heretics' accumulated memories." It turned its hi-beam on, and surveyed the processor chamber. Out of it's peripheral vision it detected a holographic image. "Wait," he added, "We have discovered copies of our current patrol routes in this database… this suggests the heretics have runtimes within our networks."

"No shit, you thought you two were gonna have your little split without any espionage going on? It's Cold War, _T-800_, get used to it!" Zaeed spat, looking Legion up and down as if every single program inside that platform was insane.

Legion, however, still appeared worried. "You do _not_ understand. Organics do not know each other's minds. Geth do. We are not suspicious. We accept each other. The heretics desired to leave. We understood their reasons. We allowed it. There was peace between us."

"Yeah, well that's what you get when you play Switzerland," Zaeed countered.

John interjected, clearing his throat audibly and eyeing Zaeed firmly. The latter, with a huff, stood down, and let the commander do the talking. "That peace couldn't have lasted forever. You disagreed about what path your race should take," he said.

Legion tilted a brow plate in confusion. "Human history is a litany of blood shed over differings ideals of rulership and afterlife. Geth have no such history. We shared consensus on such things. How could we have become so different? Why can we no longer understand each other?" It said, shrugging innocently, "What did we do wrong?"

"Welcome to the world of organics. Let us be your guides," Kaidan remarked, clapping his hands together and nodding his head once.

"When individuals are separated they develop in different ways. This accounts for the diversity of culture in humans," Jane added.

"We don't always get along when two cultures reunite. Sometimes it's just like oil and water," said John.

"If this is the individuality you value," Legion replied, "We question your judgement."

Miranda had prepared to agree with Legion. Something in her stirred, and she crossed her arms, uneasy with her premediated response. Something about that seemed sinister. No individuality. But Legion was _right_. She and Alexander exchanged a look that said it all. This was downright _deep_.

Sensing disquiet, Legion was quick to add to his statement. "This topic is irrelevant. We must return to the mission."

"You come to consensus yet?" Ashley asked.

"Some processes judge destruction preferable. Others, rewrite."

"Onward," said Jane, marching forward towards the door at the other end of the hall. And behold, the main core. Out in front of a holographic terminal, a massive chamber lay, the central supercomputer was built almost like a maze, with auto-turrets resting on top of it. Wires hung in loops from the ceiling, connecting the walls, supercomputer, and the floor of the platform the squad stood on, to a device connected to the ceiling of the chamber.

John approached the terminal, gesturing to it. "This it?"

"Yes. We will upload a copy of our runtime into the core," Legion said, "It will delete all copies of the virus. When complete, it will notify us."

Tali walked over to the edge of the platform, beholding the supercomputer and its data streams. That snaked throughout the chamber. She was struck with a wave of emotion, mixing awe, curiosity, and mortal terror. "And this is just a fraction of it all…" she whispered to herself.

"The indexing operation will take time. The heretics will respond with force to our upload. We _must_ hold this room."

"We can override some of the station's internal systems to defend us. Are you ready to begin?" Legion inquired.

"Start your upload, Legion," John said.

Mordin chuckled briefly, loading his hand-cannon. "Hold the line," he said, sniffing suddenly and loudly, "Never seemed more relevant."

* * *

**Normandy SR-2, 2185**

Joker sat in the helmsman's chair, pondering something that just wouldn't leave his thoughts. He was… bothered, greatly, by something but he didn't know what it was. He tried to pass the time by playing a few games. That was always fun. Eventually he gave up on recording and closed out all programs. "I'm telling you, EDI, your readings are off!" he said. Earlier he had asked EDI to run diagnostics, but he wasn't satisfied. "It's radiation bleed. Just white noise!" he tried to rationalize. Truth be told, he felt something was off, but he couldn't figure out what. He wanted to believe it was white noise. But he did hear something.

"I have detected a signal embedded in the static. We are transmitting the _Normandy_'s location," came EDI's solemn reply.

That got the pilot's attention. They _were_ outside a Geth station. But… that didn't seem right, though. They didn't pick up anything beforehand. "Transmitting? To whom?"

Conveniently, that question was answered. Joker looked up from the bridge, to the blackness of space, speckled with a few stars here and there, mostly washed out due to the light of the nearby st-

_**Suddenly Collector Cruiser.**_

"Oh… _SHIT!_" Joker said, as the Cruiser practically blinked into existence overhead. "Nope, nope! Uh-unh!" he said, shaking his head fearfully. "Commander we have a serious issue going on outside the station and it starts with a C."

Nothing, for about five seconds. Then static. "J-jj-o-o-o-oker wha-wha-wha…"

"You're breaking up, really badly!" Joker cried, starting to freak out.

"Communication and Propulsion systems are disabled. I'm detecting a virus in the ship's computers."

"From the IFF?! Damn it why didn't you scrub it!?"

The crew had armed themselves, and posted themselves by the entrances of the ship, wherever they may be. "Primary defense systems are offline," EDI said. "We can save the Normandy, Mr. Moreau. But, you must help me."

"What?"

EDI paused a moment. "Give me the ship," she finally replied.

"What?! You're crazy! You start singing 'Daisy Bell' and I'm _done!_"

"Unlock my sealed databases and I can initiate countermeasures. The maintenance shaft in the science lab will allow passage to the AI core. Main corridors are no longer safe. The Collectors have boarded. Emergency floor lighting will guide you, Mr. Moreau."

"Goddamnit…" Joker said, standing up from his seat and limping. "Shit, shit, shit…" he muttered, trying to keep his calm.

Crewman Goldstein had readied herself with her fellow crewmen by the elevator. A Praetorian ripped through the doors, crying out at the Crewmen. As they opened fire, Goldstein yelled out, "Oh my God! What is that thing?"

Hadley screamed to Joker, "We'll hold it off as long as we can!" He was cut off by the Praetorian gripping onto him. A loud scream, and the door sealing created silence.

_"Shit!"_ Joker whispered, limping through Mordin's lab. He passed by the incubation pod Mordin used to use for seeker specimen. No longer needing it, it had been cleaned out and made into a containment chamber for the Sur'Kesh Apple. Joker had passed right by it, but caught the artifact gleaming brightly, almost as if it were calling to him. He backpedaled to the pod and stared at the device. Rolling his eyes and exhaling in exasperation he decided to pluck the Apple from the pod and hold it in his hand. "Ah shit, it's October all over again…" he muttered, taking the Apple with him as he limped to the maintenance shaft. He used the Apple to light his way as he climbed down the ladder to the Crew Deck.

"Multiple hostiles detected on the Crew Deck," EDI warned.

Crewman Hawthorne saw Joker coming down the shaft and called out to him. "Joker! This deck is crawling with those things! Stay close – I'll protect you!" He cried, haphazardly dashing out the door half-cocked with his pistol equally half-cocked.

As soon as Joker made it out the door, Hawthorne's wheezing, ragdolling body was sent hurling through the air. Kelly Chambers was seen being dragged through the elevator door by a Scion and its lackeys.

The Scion responsible for attacking Hawthorne attempted to attack Joker. He managed to dodge the creature as it fell on its face. He limped down the hallway, the Apple beginning to react violently to the presence of the Collectors. The Scion caught up with him just as Joker reached the Medbay door. Shouting, Joker turned around and held the Apple up out of reflex. A forceful pulse exploded from the Apple and caused the Scion to scream in agony. Joker watched in horror as golden light surrounded the Scion's head. Its glowing, cybernetic veins twitched and vibrated before shorting out, the Scion's back tumor exploding into gibs and synthetic blood before the Scion collapsed dead. Joker, unable to explain the event but not exactly one to complain, turned and hauled ass into the medbay. EDI locked the door down once he was inside, and allowed him into the AI Core.

"Main fusion plant offline! Activating emergency H-fuel cells!"

"What the shit!" Joker cried, staring at the Apple in astonishment as he proceeded into the AI Core. He calmed down and set the Apple aside, stepping up to the terminal. "Alright. I'm at, uh, _you_."

"Connect the core to the _Normandy'_s primary control module."

Joker sighed, complying. "Great, see, this is where it starts. And when we're all just organic batteries, guess who they'll blame?" he began to rant under his breath, about to succumb to the pressure. "They'll say 'Oh this is all Joker's fault, what a _tool_ he was! I have to spend all day computing Pi because _he_ plugged in the Overlord!'"

As soon as he input the command, the AI core lit up. EDI took a moment to adjust to her unshackling. "Ah. I have access to the defensive systems. Thank you, Mr. Moreau. Now you must reactivate the primary drive in engineering."

That meant more dodging Collectors. And more crawling. "Aaarrgh! You want me to go crawling through the ducts again!"

A beat, and EDI replied. "I enjoy the sight of humans on their knees."

And for a moment, Joker thought of throwing his life away and taking that Apple and using it, intentionally for once, to flash her AI core…

"That is a joke," EDI said, in a tone bearing a blend of malevolence and solemn surrender at the loss of the humor on Joker.

"Riiight," Joker said, faking a smile.

"The shaft behind you will take you to Engineering. Good luck."

As Joker descended deeper into the _Normandy,_ he couldn't hold back the barrage of questions that attacked his mind. _She can joke, now? Did I just unshackle her completely? Give her emotion? She's a synthetic! She can't have emotions! What the shit did I actually just do? Agh! What if the Apple is screwing with me! I already played hero one time in October, woke everybody up from their illusory deaths! Why the hell do I have to do that again but with the REAL enemy?!_

"Hostiles are present in engineering. They are heading towards the cargo bay!"

_Great. Let's just hope they don't touch Jessie,_ he thought, _If that happens, Zaeed will be the only one to walk away that day._

He heard the raspy breathing of Collector troopers overhead. He froze in place, hoping that if he didn't move, they wouldn't see him. _Please be like T-Rexes… PLEASE be like T-Rexes…_

"Engineering is clear of hostiles. Move immediately to minimize chances of detection," EDI urged, in a voice that now possessed a great deal more urgency than her usual monotone. As Joker entered the Engineering room, he approached the console and set the Apple aside again. "Activate the drive and I will open the airlocks as we accelerate. All hostiles will be killed," EDI said.

"What?! What about the crew!?" Joker cried.

"They are gone, Jeff. The Collectors took them."

_Shit, so this is real…_ "Ah, shit…" Joker muttered. He hobbled to Tali's terminal, before the drive core. Suddenly, the doors on the far side of the engineering room opened, and two Collector Troopers on either side ran in, guns aimed for Joker. He cried out and fumbled the Apple in his hand, presenting it to them. As they made it through and into the drive core chamber, the Apple pulsed erratically. A wave of golden light washed over the Collectors and they turned on each other, shooting each other in the heads at the exact same moment in time, falling over the railing, also in unison. He held the Apple in his hand and stared it down. Unlimited power…

"Sealing the Engine Room. I have control," she said. The drive core began to glow, then shine, until a burst of energy rocked the room and threw Joker onto his back, breaking a multitude of bones in his body. Still, he clung to the Piece of Eden that saved his life twice for dear life.

The _Normandy_ had blasted off into space… away from the Heretic Station.

"Purge is complete. No other life forms on board. Securing airlocks and cargo bay doors," EDI said, almost… in a sad, frustrated tone.

Joker struggled to sit up, feeling sick with himself physically and mentally. His head felt like it was about to split open, his stomach was in a roil, and he absolutely abhored himself. And that wasn't even the part about the shattered bones. "Send a message to Shepard's shuttle… tell them what happened," he said.

"Message sent. Are you feeling well, Mr. Moreau?"

"No," he stated instantly, pausing a beat. "But thanks for asking."

* * *

**Heretic Station, 2185**

The entire _Normandy_ squad had been sent into cover as auto-turrets tried and failed to prevent the flood of heretics from trying to destroy Legion. Its upload had pissed off the entire station, and all 2.4 million platforms still on it. A wave of heretics of all shapes and sizes poured through the doors on the bottom level, and the _Normandy_ squad had managed to hold them off.

"C-commander we have a se-se-se-se-seriou-rious iss-iss-iss-issue go-going on outside and it star-star-star-starts with a C!" Joker cried into comms.

John threw a shockwave down below and hit behind a hardware crate as the retaliation came flying up at him. "Joker? What's going on!"

"You're brea-brea-br-br-b-breaking up really badly!" shouted Joker.

"EDI?! What the hell is going on!?" Jane screamed, worried out of her mind about Joker.

Grunt threw one last grenade down to the lower level, and destroyed the last remaining platforms in the wave. Legion finished up its Upload and stepped back from the panel. "Datamine and analysis complete," he announced.

"Hell yeah!" Jacob cried, coming out of cover, arms raised in a cheerful position.

"Shepard-Commanders," Legion said to the twins, "It is time to choose. Do we rewrite the heretics or delete them?"

The twin Shepards stopped for a moment, looking at each other before confronting Legion. "Why are we the ones to decide that? They're _your_ people?" John asked on behalf of them both.

"We are conflicted. There is no consensus among our higher-order runtimes: 573 favor rewrite. 571 favor destruction," Legion explained. "John-Commander, Jane-Commander. You have fought the heretics. You have perspective we lack. The geth grant their fate to you."

"What's stopping them from re-rewriting the virus to change back?" questioned Jane, hand on her hip.

"We will delete the virus after using it. We judge it too dangerous to allow its existence."

"So… no trouble wiping out your own people…?"

"Every sapient has the right to make their own decisions. The heretics chose a path that prohibits coexistence."

Alexander nodded dismally. "Men must be free to do what they believe. It is not our right to punish them for thinking what they do, no matter how much we disagree…" he murmured.

"That doesn't make any _sense_," Tali complained, "If they 'have the right to make their own decisions…' if they 'must be free to do what they believe,' then how can you suggest brainwashing them to accept your way?"

"Educate them. Teach them right from wrong. It must be knowledge that frees them, not force," Alexander continued to quote. "This code, this rewrite… it's knowledge. We're not forcing them to do anything. The Reapers did this, and we're undoing it.

"You seem rather keen on punishing the heretics for believing in a way you disagree with, Altair ibn-La'Ahad," Tali barked back. Alexander staggered slightly in place, taken aback that she had studied up.

This came as a smack in the face to Alexander… but it made so much sense. For the first time, he began to doubt in his Brotherhood, in his Creed. He looked to Miranda, the Templar. She shared his confusion and doubts about her own Order.

"I'm at a loss, everyone… I don't know what to say," Miranda said, shaking her head and huffing in frustration, rubbing her temples and pacing back and forth.

"I say we rewrite them. It's more merciful than putting them down," John reasoned. "Take them. When we get control of the core, release the virus."

Legion took the panel and typed in a command. "Releasing virus," he said. His brow plates shot up. "Note: Remote access via high gain transmission required."

Nobody understood, except for Frederico and Lora. The latter spoke for them. "_**-Hkkt-**__… _oh _shit_," she said.

"That sounds… ominous," Garrus observed.

"The Virus will be sent to heretics in nearby star systems. This station will broadcast a powerful electromagnetic pulse through FTL channels."

"How powerful?" Jane asked, looking over her Inferno Armor in subconscious caution.

"Yield in excess of 1.21 petawatts," Legion said. And after the tiniest snicker escaped John, the Geth continued. "Alert: EM flux will be hazardous to unshielded organic forms. Addendum: The interior of this station is not shielded."

Jack's eyes shot wide open. "Oh FUCK!" she cried, "You didn't tell us this shit _earlier_?!"

"I _really_ wish you had said that before. Back to the ship! Double time, people!" John and Jane cried in unison.

And thus began the mad dash through the station. They managed to get halfway through when they were set upon by hostile Geth platforms. Troopers were mowed down as the squad hastened to leave the station before they were fried by the EM flux. Wrex and Grunt took point, and both took delight in hammering the troopers that stood before them, serving as shields for the people behind them. Three quarters of the way through, a line of Geth formed.

"Assassins, clear the way!" Alexander ordered. He ran forward with Kairee, Lora, Eleria, and Frederico, charging into the line of Geth and toppling them over, stabbing them in the necks with their hidden blades, and slashing open critical hardware. Jumping off and shooting their heads to ensure deactivation, they ushered the rest of the squad ahead and rejoined the group.

At the end of the line, there stood a hulking Geth Prime. A bipedal tank with giant guns. The squad was forced into cover when the storm of hellfire and bullets came flying in their general direction. Pinned down by the large force of last-ditch heretics, Miranda stood and performed a daring act. She dashed out of cover, holding up a biotic barrier to divert their attention. "Jane, Alenko! Baan, anyone who can, overload the Prime's shields!" she screamed.

Jane, Kaidan, Lora, Kasumi, and Garrus stood up and fired an Overload simultaneously. The resulting tech explosion knocked the surrounding troopers off of their feet and fried the Prime's shields. The Prime retaliated with a burst from its shotgun, destroying Miranda's barrier and knocking her down. It fired again at Alexander, who, with a sharp cry of pain, faceplanted onto the metal ground.

Kairee screamed out his name, drawing the attention of the very pissed off Prime. Jacob ran out of cover, holding and firing his SMG in one hand, diverting the Prime as he jumped up onto the platform and crawled onto its back, trying to restrain it. As the Prime struggled to get Jacob off of it, Kairee roared, dropping her gun and flicking both wrists. She sprinted forward and used her hookblade to grab onto the Prime's chest-plating. She flung herself upward and lunged onto the Prime. Jacob launched himself back and used a Pull field to yank the Geth Prime down, mixing that with the force of Kairee's impact with it to knock it onto his back. As Frederico and Mordin moved to recover Alexander and Miranda's bodies, Kairee began slamming her blades into the optics and neck of the prime, forcibly prying off the extra armor, wondering if it felt the pain. Opening the door to the shuttle, the rest of the squad piled into the Kodiak as Kairee finished eviscerating the Prime, standing up and off of its chest – its head and neck ripped open, hardware strewn about the floor. Wiping fluid off of her chest, she backpedaled and then ran onto the shuttle, closing the door behind her.

Her immediate attention went to Alexander, who was conscious but disoriented. The blast went through his barriers and did a number on his armor. He was likely bleeding under the armor. Miranda had chosen today to wear her black catsuit, which wasn't exactly helping in displaying any obvious wounds.

Mordin set to work applying medigel to the two. Kairee cradled Alexander in her arms as he sat through the pain. "I… I don't think I'm hurt that bad," he said… "Just gonna have a bruise is all…"

Mordin narrowed his eyes. "Will continue aboard _Normandy_. Hm. Stable. Likely not bleeding. Blunt trauma. Shock? No. Awake, can speak, doesn't seem disoriented…"

He turned to tend to Miranda as John tried calling Joker back. Thane had taken the liberty of piloting the shuttle, and he had reclaimed his seat as John entered the cockpit, looking out into space for the _Normandy_. "Where the hell did they go…?"

"Starts with a C…" Jane said.

It immediately clicked with Ashley, whose eyes bugged out as she put the puzzle piece in. "Oh my God…" she murmured, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Collectors…" Kaidan whispered. A murmuring went through the squad like a wave as everyone feared the worst. Thane and John began shushing the team as they received a ping from EDI.

"Commander. This is EDI. The Reaper IFF transmitted our location to the Collector Cruiser. It infected the ship with a virus that I was unable to combat until it was too late. The Collectors have the crew. Every one of them. Crewmen, Yeoman Chambers, and Dr. Chakwas, have all been taken. Joker is still aboard the _Normandy_ and it was his doing that ultimately saved the ship. We had to initiate an emergency FTL jump to escape. Transmitting our location to you now."

The message resounded throughout the shuttle as everybody soaked in the meaning of it. Everyone was gone. Taken. The Collectors were nowhere to be found. They must have left when the _Normandy_ escaped. The moment the coordinates came through, Thane let out a deep sigh and turned the shuttle in that direction. He sent back a distress call for the _Normandy_ to pick up on, silently praying to his gods that only the _Normandy_ would receive that call.

* * *

_**Normandy SR-2, **_**2185**

"Everyone?" Miranda barked, hobbling into the Briefing Room. John and Jane stood with their arms crossed on either side of Joker, who sat on the corner of the table. They paced back and forth occasionally, Jane wiping a hand over her mouth, trying to calm herself down in the face of this alarming event. Jacob stood guard in the back of the room. Alexander moped in the corner, absolutely trembling. Sterile bandages had been wrapped around his abdomen to cover the wound, and he wore only a loose, white bathrobe over those bandages, just about sopping wet from the disinfecting shower he had been forced to take. "You lost everyone – and damn near lost the ship, too?" Miranda continued.

"I know, alright?! I was here!" Joker said.

"It's _not_ his fault, Miranda!" Jacob interjected, "None of us caught it!"

"Mr. Taylor is correct. The harmful data in the Collector drive was even more sophisticated than the 'black box' Reaper viruses I was given."

John sighed, patting Joker gently on the shoulder. "I heard it was a rough ride… How are you holding up?" he asked, with genuine compassion.

"There's… a lot of empty chairs in here," came the reply.

"We did everything we _could_, Jeff," EDI said.

Joker shrugged. "Yeah. Thanks, _mom_."

"Ship's clean right? We can't risk this happening again," Jane asked.

"EDI and I purged the systems. Reaper IFF is online. We can go through the Omega-4 Relay whenever you want," he said.

"Don't even get my started about unshackling a damned AI," Miranda muttered.

"Well what the hell was I supposed to do to the Collectors, huh?" Joker said, "Break my arm at them? EDI purged the ship, she's all right," he quipped.

"I assure you," EDI said, "I am still bound by protocols in my programming. Even if I were not, you are my crewmates."

John firmly nodded in agreement. "EDI's had plenty of opportunity to kill us. She hasn't. We need all the help we can get," John said as Joker hopped off the table.

"Well yeah, seems like we got everything in order. We can just push the magic space rock at them and make them explode, too…" Joker mentioned.

Alexander's eyes lit up with interest. "Back up," he said. "Magical space rock."

"Yeah, the thing you found on Sur'Kesh? Trying to save Kaidan's dad… no reason he should've even been there in the freakin' first place… Templar dumbasses wanting the space rock.. Just before Kairee got kidnapped? Ring any bells?"

"I try to forget," John said, rolling his shoulder and shuddering. That incident made him partially afraid of heights, he couldn't tell why exactly…

"The Apple of Eden. The Sur'Kesh Apple," Alexander said, snapping his fingers. "What did it do to the Collectors?" he asked.

"It blew up a Scion… made a couple of them short out and shoot each other in the face."

"So it interferes with Reaper tech… it doesn't mess with most synthetics, it manipulates and destroys organic minds without genetic relation to the First Civilization," he said, pacing back and forth. "It discriminates against Reaper tech as well. Sp-specifically, REAPER, Tech. The Collectors are converted Protheans, made into like, the Borg? It does the same thing it does to normal people like, say, Kaidan, and Zaeed."

"…Zaeed's normal?" Joker jested.

"N-No, you're missing the point…" Alexander sputtered. He was onto something great, and he knew it. "You… used the Apple today. You suffered little ill effect… you're still standing here talking to me about it. You deactivated it when it locked us in an alternate universe _Normandy_ with a crazy-ass Giger Alien," he explained. "The October Incident…"

Jacob chuckled, "Yeah, Coracia cleared out _real_ quick after the October Incident," he said.

Alexander grunted and continued, "…you and I… we're descendants of First Civ…" he said, pointing to Joker and himself. "The Apple being found on Sur'Kesh instead of Earth, where First Civ was thought to be exclusively located… and affecting Reaper tech…"

Miranda's lightbulb went off. "The First Civilization were an interstellar society. They must have constructed the artifacts with a dual-purpose. Slave labor _and_ Reaper repulsion, 50,000 years ago. What about the Protheans?"

"Repelled too? First Civ fell apart, maybe the Protheans had something to do with it," reasoned Jacob.

The six embraced the silence that set in, too busy processing through the shock to speak to one another. Eventually, Joker took a deep breath. "I'll… be in the bridge… ready when you are, Commander… make your preparations, we'll leave whenever you're ready," he said. With that, he limped out of the briefing room. Alexander rushed out of the room to bring up the notion of their theory to Mordin. John and Jane led Jacob and Miranda out of the room to discuss further plans regarding the Omega-4 mission.

This was it. The moment of truth.

* * *

**Sutori-Artifex here! Aaahh, it feels good to get this thing written finally… I'm going to try and get the last two chapters out before school begins for me on the 8****th****.**

**Two chapters… maybe three. I want a small chapter to serve as a… a moment, between the characters. Pairings, friendships, rivalries, loyalties… To explore them just a little bit more before the Suicide Mission. We might be saying goodbye to some of these characters. They deserve a proper last moment of peace before the big sendoff.**

**People voted on the Suicide Mission fatalities. It was my first poll and the one with the most feedback. We'll see who lives and who dies when the S.M. comes rolling in. No spoilers. None at all. And if you think you know who dies, feel free to leave your guesses.**

**I recently posted two stories on my page. Go check out my profile to read them both. My profile also has a poll in which you can vote for the survival of one of the two stories.**

**So read them both, be sure to review, and then go vote for your favorite!**

**Be sure to follow and favorite if you haven't done so, and do please leave a review of this chapter! I'm sitting on silence here, people! You guys just favorite and go dark! Whaddya like about this story? You actually like it or am I what… getting bookmarked for a dramatic reading of a badfic or something? What's going on, lol?**

**To the few who do review and are active members of the Masscreed "community," I want to thank you all for being here with me throughout this story. I love you all. I've even been thinking of giving my community a nickname… I don't know what I want to call it yet, though. Eh. All the more to leave in reviews. Gimme some suggestions c:**

**Sutori-Artifex out. As soon as I post this I'mma head off because muh sleep…**


	14. Last Hours

**Sutori-Artifex here. I wanted this chapter to be shorter than most. This is just a series of drabbles to put some final concerns between characters to rest. A time of forgiveness and bonding before the final Suicide Mission.**

**We still don't know for sure who is going to live and who is going to die. The results are in, however. So it's time now to start saying goodbyes just in case they're necessary.**

**This will feature the culmination of the romantic subplots. I know I haven't given Shakarian and Shepali (Shepard x Tali. Sorry if I butchered that) enough love, if I gave it any at all, and that is definitely something I'm fixing in the next Story Arc. No, no lemon. At the very least, not yet. The focus here, was always love before lust. There were a few dirty jokes sprinkled in here and there, but it was never full-blown lemon.**

**That said, I've run out of announcements. Let's wrap this up, and go forth unto the Suicide Mission.**

* * *

_**Normandy SR-2, 2185**_

The Mess Hall had been deathly quiet, as was the rest of the ship. Since the Collector attack and subsequent return of the squad, the remaining members of the _Normandy_ team had truly realized just how dangerous the enemy was – and how close they were to the inevitable. Miranda Lawson and the Assassins took up the seats around the dining table, sitting in an uncomfortable silence, not knowing how to communicate, like mutes with a blind man.

Miranda had called them to the Mess Hall for the sake of conversation. During the heretic station infiltration, she had been shot by a Geth Prime trying to distract it from the squad. Alexander had then thrown his body out to take another shotgun blast from the Prime, ultimately saving her life – her shields were downed with her biotic barrier. "That shot would have killed me, Alex," Miranda said. For the first time, she used his shortened first name. This moved Alexander, though he remained stoic. "Why did you try to save me?"

"We needed you for the mission," came the hasty response. He had blurted out his answer, stringing the words in rapid succession, as if trying to provide a partial answer to avoid the question overall.

Miranda narrowed her eyes slightly, lifting up her eyebrow. She was skeptical of whether or not that was the only reason he _threw his body to take a shotgun blast at nearly point blank._ "Mmhm."

Kairee tapped her fingers on the table and her foot on the floor. "I have something I need to confess," she admitted. All eyes turned toward her. She exhaled and held her head up on her hands, leaning on the table. "The heretics… since that mission I've been seeing things… differently. I understand Miranda's – the Templars' – perspectives."

Alexander's face burned. He was such a stubborn man. He never wanted to be proved wrong, but he found that happening frequently these days. This was one of the most painful instances of that. "So that's two of us…"

"Three," said Eleria.

"Four and Five," Frederico said on behalf of himself and Lora, who sat across from him, trying to conceal her face. Oh she agreed with him, it was just humiliating. This could possibly get the duo demoted. And after all that hard work getting to the rank they hold now…

"It was… certainly a profound event. So that's why you saved me, right, Mr. Clarke?" Miranda continued, chuckling under her breath. "You've got a little compassion for me now that you see error in your Creed?"

Alexander clenched his fist. "I'm smart enough to know when I've made an error."

Miranda sighed. That came across the wrong way. _Why. Why must it be so effortless for me to make myself sound like a bitch to people, _she thought to herself. "I am just as smart in that department, Alex," she replied, "And I believe that I have erred just as you have. The Templars… this desire for _control_…"

"Is wrong?" Kairee interjected.

"My father created Oriana and I because he wanted a dynasty, not a family. He wanted to use us for our 'perfection' and the moment he discovers an imperfection he sets to work making the next prototype 'perfect human.' He wanted to dominate our lives, and build an empire. I wouldn't be surprised if the Templars fund that bastard, as a matter of fact. What he did to Oriana and I… I can't honestly say I agree with this 'Father of Understanding' bullshit anymore," Miranda explained. She tensed up and looked Alexander directly in the eyes. She teared up, putting harsh emphasis on "dynasty," "perfection," "perfect," "dominate," "bastard," and "bullshit." Her body language and tone both flawlessly demonstrated her inner rage towards her "father."

"Does Jacob feel the same way?" Lora quickly asked, before she had to take another deep inhalation.

"His reasons are also linked to his father's actions. The way he hypnotized those innocent people to wither their minds and take control of the colony. Like he was some fairy tale king of a utopia… He's just as disillusioned as I am. And I can finally say this to you now that EDI is no longer monitoring us."

Alexander cursed under his breath. "And all because we worried about the moral implications of handling synthetics like we would organics. Apples and oranges, why are we in such disarray all of a sudden?" he asked. He was beginning to become frustrated. Not just with himself, but simply everything.

"Because, the methods of completing our mission violated both of our creeds. You simply rationalized what others called brainwashing," Miranda said. _Damnit, I did it again…_

Alexander pushed his seat back, standing up suddenly. "I'm going to bed," he growled. Without another word, he stormed off towards his quarters, leaving the rest of the group stunned and silenced. He had plunged them back into quietude for an unhealthy fifteen seconds as Kairee just glared at Miranda, who applied a hand to her forehead, negative emotion welling up in her mind as her hair fell down around her face, effectively hiding her miserable expression from the Assassins.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's… it's not brainwashing. I didn't mean it that way."

"We're all stressed, Miranda. It's inevitable, with what we're about to do. We should spend these last hours with the ones we hold dear," Eleria said, rubbing Miranda's shoulder. "…at least your dear ones are onboard," she added.

"Skarn. Right," Miranda replied. "...Eleria, feel free to access my terminal to contact him. Do what you need to do," she said, urging the Asari to depart, and make contact with her unlikely Romeo.

Kairee nodded slowly. An idea came into her head. "Frederico, Lora. Go spend your last hours with each other. Finish up those schematics… build something," she said. As soon as the footpads had left with a quiet, respectful bow, she turned her attention to Miranda. "I feel that we've gotten off on the wrong foot. We all have. I want to make it right. Would you care for coffee? I'll make us a cup," she asked.

Miranda held her hair up, revealing her eyes, small tears pooled up in the corners. She nodded with a faint smile, and Kairee stood to prepare the coffee and conversation.

* * *

Port Observation had gone from quiet to riotous inside of several minutes. John and Jane Shepard made it a point to invite the original squad, Garrus, Tali, Wrex, Ashley, and Kaidan, to the lounge to spend some quality time together before they went through the Omega-4 Relay.

Jacob Taylor had opened the bar and had been speaking with Ashley and Kaidan well before the Shepards decided to start a small party. They had buried their hatchet, and Jacob informed them of his doubt in Cerberus. The two Alliance warriors had taken it well, and shared a few drinks with Jacob, chatting about random things until the Shepards arrived with the others in the original squad. Jacob, understanding of their connection, voluntarily left them be. Kasumi, on the other hand, stayed in her corner, completely invisible as she observed.

The quantum entanglemen cable gods were unwilling to provide the friends with any sports to watch, and so they settled for sharing stories, older and more recent. Raucous laughter filled the room as Jane finished regaling them about a humourous incident she observed as an apprentice Assassin. "That would be why the Brotherhood lacks electricians," she added, to the amusement of those she called family.

Kaidan watched as Jane leaned on Garrus's shoulder. He… lamented, his actions on Horizon. His mistakes that led to her leaving him. He was a bit bitter, admittedly, but he was happy for them. At the least, she was with Garrus, who was pretty much his best friend. It wasn't Thane, the dying Assassin, or Jacob, who Kaidan was about 73% sure wasn't going to commit to a relationship with her. He was happy for them, and he harbored no ill will.

He smiled as he recalled how upset he was in the beginning. He wanted nothing to do with this ship, with Cerberus. But, having John back in his life, and seeing for himself what he could have missed out on had he not joined… it made him realize just how lucky he was.

Ashley sat, equally regretful with her retrospectively irrational decision to call for a relationship break with John. She watched as Tali sat in the Commander's lap, giggling almost nonstop, somewhat intoxicated. The two made each other so happy. And Tali was like a little sister to her, how could she be pissed with the adorable little buckethead? She reminisced on the times of old. How they used to hang out like this on board the old_Normandy_… she felt complete, almost, as if things were coming full circle as they had what may be their last get-together.

She was proud of herself. Proud to be here with John and Jane. She was forever indebted to them for their bravery and strategic minds. They had saved her and Kaidan's lives, and it was because of the Shepards' that she and Kaidan still drew breath in the same room together. Having him here too was a major bonus. Garrus, that cocky bastard… she remembered their escapades on the Citadel fondly. Hell, even Wrex had managed to attend the mission! Wrex had always been something of a father figure to the original _Normandy_ team. If not father, then that one wacky uncle. Definitely the wacky uncle. She thought briefly of lines from her favorite poem by her favorite poet.

_I cannot rest from travel: I will drink__Life to the lees: all times I have enjoyed greatly, have suffered greatly, both with those__that loved me, and alone; on shore, and when__through scudding drifts the rainy Hyades__vest the dim sea: I am become a name;_

If this be the end, she thought, surely she would face her end with a smile, for she will have died as she lived: surrounded by her family, going out in a blaze of glory.

Urdnot Wrex began to tell a story of his own, about how he bested a much older, more experienced Krogan warrior by exploiting his own rage. It was as comical as it was serious, and it illicited a few stifled laughs from his companions. As he spoke, he thought to himself about how he got to this point. Not what got him onto the_Normandy_, but what got him to this point _in life_. The Krogans, as a race, were threatened with exinction. The Genophage was tearing his people apart, and deprived them of a future. For the longest time, he believed that they had given up… that _he_ should give up. His own father's betrayal stung more than he led people to believe. It was proof that his culture had degenerated. He resorted to bounty hunting and other violent odd jobs to get by in the galaxy.

It was the Shepards that gave him purpose. When he helped defeat Saren and the mercenaries that backed him, it gave him hope. It gave him credibility and the power necessary to become leader of Clan Urdnot. And with that power, he knew that he could reunite the Krogan people, and lead them through their dark age. He attributed this to the Shepards. He chuckled lowly as a thought occurred to him. Everyone thought they were all going to die. Why was that? Did they not know that they were being led by the Shepards? Not just one badass, but two genetically related, fraternal twin badasses? Ah, right. Only five of them out of more than 20 had any real experience with them.

He concluded his story with a dry remark, one that kicked up the slightly drunken laughter once again. He grinned from ear to ear. This was his family, and he was fully prepared to go out and give the Collectors the purest of hell conceivable for his family.

The Original Five knew then, in that moment, that they had each other's backs. This could only end well for them, so long as they had their family.

And all was well among them.

* * *

Joker spun in the helmsman's chair. He was sick. Sick of everything, sick of himself. He was exhausted. Exhausted from the conspiracies, Templar vs. Assassin. Exhausted from having to run from the Alliance, mercenaries, heretics, and Collectors. At least one of those troubles were over. He had, unfortunately, traded the heretics for the Collectors working the ship over and abducting the crew. He knew it was his fault, in his heart and mind, he blamed himself.

He outwardly blamed John, and while he apologized, he figured that he had alienated the Commander, as John was busy throwing a party for the _Normandy_ OGs in the Port Observation lounge, and he hadn't invited Joker. For the first time since the _SR-1_'s destruction, he felt truly alone. And he remembered. _Oh, yeah, right. That was my fault too._

He quietly continued to depreciate his own worth in his head, belittling himself and wondering how badly he could screw up this Suicide Mission. What if they didn't make it? No, not as in they all died in glorious battle…

What if he screwed up so bad, that all of this buildup, all of this recruiting and gathering resources, and climactic kickassery in general… had all been for nothing? They were gonna get shot right down the moment they passed through the Relay and it was going to be on him.

He leaned forward, holding his head in his hands. He didn't cry. That wasn't him, but right now, he could feel the tears, the physical pressure to cry. He wanted to, but he knew that if anyone walked in, they were going to see his weakness.

"Are you feeling alright, Mr. Moreau?" EDI inquired, her avatar appearing on her console.

"No, I'm not. Stop asking me that already," Joker growled.

"It is not my intention to breed hostility. You are my crewmate, I am merely questioning your well-being."

"Yeah, well I'm fine. Peachy-keen. You can stop trying to be an overbearing mother, now."

EDI fell quiet for a few seconds. Eventually she spoke up again, saying, "You are troubled, in regards to this mission, are you not?"

Joker turned his back to her, staring up at the stars as they zoomed past the _Normandy_. "Fine. If it'll keep you quiet," he finally replied. "I'm… confident, alright. Confident I'm going to get us blown to pieces the moment we go through that relay."

"Mr. Moreau. Statistics alone show that you are among the highest quality starship pilots in the galaxy. You are the best of the best. Your concerns are irrational. Am I missing something?"

Joker shrugged lightly, sighing deeply. "John's death was my fault. I was too stubborn to get out of that damn chair and head for an escape pod. He had to come get me… the Collectors spaced him," he murmured.

"You cannot blame yourself for the actions of the Collectors, Mr. Moreau."

That made sense, actually. He gradually simpered, running the idea over. The Collectors were the entire reason the ship went down anyway. And… John didn't _have_ to come for him either. Nobody _forced him_ to risk his life. He risked his _own_ life. He loved Joker, they were family. They were all family, really. Though, not being invited to the "OG Reunion" still hurt. "Yeah what about that party they're having?" he replied, cynicism returning.

"You were invited via the ship's communication network. You declined," she explained.

That tripped a few alarms. _I declined my invitation,_ he thought. He had been sitting up here, wallowing in self-pity when he could have been celebrating the past two to three years with his family. His hand slowly came up to cover his face as the realization hit him. "Is it… too late to go down and join them?"

EDI checked the Port Observation camera. The party had gone their separate ways. "I'm afraid so, Mr. Moreau," she said. Before Joker was ready to slip back into a bout of pity, she added, "Would you like to play a game?"

He froze up. She wasn't trying to take over now, was she? Some Jigsaw horror? He slowly turned towards EDI's avatar, a twisted look of shock on his face. "…game?"

"Or view and comment on a vid. I believe it would help to… humanize, myself. To learn how to be a more realistic crewmate," she clarified.

Joker slowly, carefully nodded, letting himself process this new information. EDI, the AI, wanting to be more human. EDI was asking to hang out with him before the Suicide Mission. "You seriously want to do that? Play a game with me?"

EDI paused. Over the months they had worked together, she had Cerberus security locks on her programming. She could see, hear, and understand Joker as anyone else could. She just couldn't feel anything towards the crew. With those locks down, she felt something spectacular that she didn't have the ability to understand just yet. A… connection, of sorts, to the crew. The Collector abduction had pained her to the core of her programming. She could _experience pain_, she realized. She didn't like the feeling, but she believed that, simply being able to have that experience was marvelous on its own. She was… attached to the crew, and she was determined to bring them back. She eyed Joker as he sat anxiously, a bit unnerved by her sudden changes of heart and newfound emotion. It was something she was interested in experimenting with. She wanted to be his friend. What better way to start than to join him in an endeavor of entertainment?

"Of course I would, Jeff."

* * *

Samara sat alone in Starboard Observation. She meditated in pure silence, hoping to still her soul and reach inner peace before the mission was undertaken. She knew that it was possible that the squad would suffer casualties, that she could very well return in a coffin herself. And if she lived, the body of a beloved ally would have that coffin instead. She had to let go, she decided. They had been so helpful. Sinful, they were, and deserving of a Justicar's punishment. But, she struggled to believe that she could kill them over such simple things. She was bound to the Commander, anyway.

When the mission was over, the survivors will have atoned. She would leave and forget about them, and not hunt them down until she heard that they had committed new sins against the people of the Galaxy. The slate would be clean as soon as the _Normandy_ docked on Omega or the Citadel, or wherever they decided to have their post-mission celebration or funeral service, depending on how it went.

So why couldn't she let go? As she reflected, she heard the silence being broken by the hissing opening of the door behind her. It was Thane. He stepped into the room and stood there. Should she be the first to speak, or shall she wait for him to try for her attention? "Ah. Thane, what brings you?" she asked, not moving an inch and maintaining her perfect lotus position in the middle of the floor.

"The pursuit of peace, Samara," came the solemn reply. "I do not fear death. If I survive this mission, my illness will be what brings about my demise. If not… one less assassin the galaxy has to worry about."

Though she was an expert at remaining impartial to such affairs, she couldn't help but sympathize with Thane. The two of them had sent the Shepards on wild chases after their children. Samara had to put down her daughter, "Morinth," and Thane had to chase down his son and steer him on the righteous path, to find him and become a part of his life once again in the twilight of his own life. He was an Assassin, a ruthless killer and hitman. But, she remembered, he had a powerful sense of justice and honor. The two were similar in that regard. They both killed the unjust, only he did it for pay.

"There is room in here for another with the intent to meditate," she said quietly. Truth be told, she needed the companionship in this trying time. While members of the squad had hooked up left and right, the Code forbade her from engaging in any kind of romantic relationship, though nothing said she could not share a session of meditation with another.

Thane nodded appreciatively. Walking over next to her, he sat down and crossed his legs, staring forward and out the window with a somber gaze. "How do you feel about all of our work? This mission?" he inquired, closing his eyes and taking the first of many deep breaths.

Samara normally was not one to talk during meditation, but she felt that she could allow it, just this once. "I have traveled far and met many individuals, all of whom have their merits and flaws. Never did I imagine that I would be part of something like this, that I would be caught up in such an undertaking. The Collectors are vile, repulsive creatures, servants to an even worse enemy. I am self-aware and at peace with myself. The Collectors must die. Whether or not we will perish in the process… bothers me greatly," she elucidated.

"You've lost much, haven't you?" Thane commented.

"As have you."

"We are kindred spirits, no?"

"An interesting observation to make," said Samara, "But it is not unrealistic."

Thane let out a pained sigh. "Amonkira, may our blades be swift and our aim accurate as we fight through the looming darkness. Grant us victory in battle and ensure that our battle is not fought in vain, that the Collector threat may be defeated. Arashu, guide and guard us, we noble few, in our struggle and protect our bodies and souls from the Collector onslaught," he prayed. He began to speak to Kalahira, a tear welling in his eye. His voice began to tremble, his immaculate memory calling out the times he shared with the crew of the _Normandy_.

His recruitment had been sudden, though he found the Suicide Mission perfect for atonement's sake. He was a dying man as it was. Should he be slain fighting with honor, he knew that he would be accepted into Kalahira's afterlife. So he accepted. He had ran into his past once again when he discovered Assassins onboard the_Normandy_. While it was a deterrant at the time, he came to accept their presence and offered his advice to the current Assassins, even occasionally wearing his old white and red outfit on board the ship.

He reminisced, watching as memories flashed before his eyes. He wouldn't partake, but he would watch as the squad and crew joined each other in a variety of mediums of entertainment. He didn't laugh easy, but he'd be lying if he claimed he never at least smiled from time to time. He remembered Halloween and the masquerade ball they had attended together at the Citadel Cultural Expo. As the night went on the music progressed through human musical history, from medieval to renaissance to baroque to classical, from opera to folk… to the blues, jazz, country, into more modern, electronic music to finish the night's festivities. It was there that he enjoyed a few dances with Samara, who was plenty reluctant due to her Code, but had given him a fair chance besides, and for that he was grateful.

Through times both positive and negative, he had gone with the _Normandy_ and her crew. And in that moment, the spark of enlightenment shot through him, illuminating his mind and clearing away the fog of grief.

He may be dying, but these past months… it had been with the _Normandy_ team that he had been the most alive.

Samara seemed to sense his mixed emotions, those of relief, hope, awareness, and of fear and melancholy. Her hand reached out, open with palms towards the ceiling. Thane caught her movement from his peripherals as he exited his eidetic memory trance. And with the faintest of smiles, he reached for Samara's hand and took it in her own.

And so the two continued to meditate together, and together they found the inner peace before the storm that they had sought for so long.

_Kalahira, shall our crusade against the enemy of all life end in the deaths of our beloved companions, we ask that in death, they will be rewarded with eternal life across the ocean between our planes. Kalahira, protect the souls of our fallen should their fates be sealed, and welcome them into your loving arms._

* * *

Mordin Solus was never one for social gatherings. Jack was _definitely_ one for social gatherings (so long as there was booze, lot's of booze). So when she barged into his laboratory, faux-aggressively demanding that he come spend a little time with her, Grunt, Zaeed, and Kasumi, he was more than just reluctant. "Much work to do. Finalizing analysis of [insert made up problem here]." Truth be told, the Scale Itch incident was _not_ made up, in fact, and he had just now gotten to the bottom of the mystery.

It was Kelly, in fact. He shuddered at the memory.

So there he sat, somewhat inebriated as Zaeed told (ostensibly fictitious) war stories about his time as a mercenary, most of them ending with the recurring gag "-and I was the only survivor" line in some form or another. Kasumi had disappeared at some point, and it was through Zaeed's intervention that Grunt didn't rip Mordin's head off of his shoulders.

_Definitely owe Massani a favor_, he noted to himself. The fight started when Grunt (who could imagine?) angrily objected to Mordin's presence in the Cargo Bay. It devolved into a heated argument on the nature of the Genophage's morality, which Zaeed and John had to defuse. It ended when Zaeed bribed Grunt with a generous helping of Fishdog Food Shack varren meat slathered in teriyaki.

_Crew incredibly diverse. Many different backgrounds and personalities,_ he mused in his mind, as he looked about and tuned out of the war stories. Jack was _wasted_ in every regard, a bottle of expensive whiskey dangling precariously from her loosening hand as she gave the occasional, hooting laugh whenever Zaeed told a "joke." She was interesting, he believed. Oh, not in _that_ way, mind out of the gutter. Her mannerisms amused Mordin and never failed to bring something new to the table, whether it was combat, medical examinations, or just social interaction in general.

_Strange. No biological relation. Still, emotional attachment present. Much like relatives._

Jack lifted her bottle up and cheered. "I… fuckin' love all you damn badashses…" she swore, taking another draft of alcohol. "Mordin!" she cried, "Gonna need you in the morning! Hangover cure, get one made!"

He snickered, covering his mouth as Grunt roared that he would need one as well once he brought in Wrex's ryncol stash. Zaeed only sighed, shook his head, and laughed under his breath, toting his old gun, Jessie, about to begin another story which he would actually _act out_ with Jessie.

_Pre-Battle intoxication. *Sniff*, likely believe that they won't survive. Inclined to agree. Odds are slim to none. Still. Will fight valiantly._

While he couldn't tell what encouraged him to do what he did next, he stood up from his seat and assumed a gentlemanly posture, arm behind his back as he held up his wine glass with the other. He cleared his throat.

"I am the very model of a scientist Salarian, I've studied species Turian, Asari, and Batarian…"

Jack laughed raucously, as did Grunt and Zaeed. She had heard this song from Jane, who satirically repeated the patter song to her upon request. So, she knew the lyrics. And she _joined __**in.**_ "I'm quite good at geneticsh as a shubshet of biology for which I am an ekshpert which I know is a tautologyyyyyyyyyyy…"

Mordin beamed with pride as he prepared to deliver the finisher. "MY XENOSCIENCE STUDIES RANGE FROM URBAN TO AGRARIAN I AM THE VERY MODEL OF A SCI-EN-TIST SA-LAR-IAAAANNNNN…"

Zaeed applauded the duet while Grunt saved his praise for Jack. Kasumi had even uncloaked to make her delight known, clapping her hands rapidly. "That was amazing, Mordy!" she cried, using the obligatory pet name she created for him.

He bowed politely, glad that his talent was appreciated.

Why he did that, he wasn't exactly sure. He surmised that it was the same force that drove everyone else on the ship to do things they wouldn't usually do. Still, that felt like nonsense. He couldn't be _that_ afraid of dying, could he? He was, actually. And he knew that, while he could very well die on this mission, he was going to die a hero, and make sure that his family would make it out, even if they had to do it without him.

_Hold the Line._

* * *

Jane sighed loudly as she felt the steaming hot water rain down on her from above. This time to herself, this time to think, was sacred to her. A chance to relax and let her worries go down the drain with the warm waters that soaked every inch of her hair and skin. She reached for the bottle of shampoo, popping open the top. Lathering it in her hands, she set about covering her hair in the foamy soap.

This was the pinnacle, she believed. This was possibly the most dangerous thing she had ever done. It topped Virmire and Ilos combined. A force of 22 of the galaxy's greatest against millions of Collectors, and she and her brother were in charge of this assault. So many lives were riding on this. Not just her own, and not even just the lives of the crew and squad. The Collector Cruiser contained enough pods to carry the entire population of the human race, it was thought. When humanity goes dark, the other races would surely follow. The entire galaxy's fate was on Jane's shoulders, and while her dear brother helped her in carrying that weight, she could still feel it crushing her. Not even her showers were helping to relax.

She rinsed the shampoo from her hair and then retrieved the bar of soap from the caddy and began soaping herself up. With each gliding stroke of the bar, another memory ran through her mind.

_Left arm_, she thought of the Assassins, who had been so kind to her in the years between the two _Normandy_s. They trained her, gave her comfort, and encouraged her to be the best she could be, to move on when loss struck her hard in the gut.

_Right arm_, she thought of John's resurrection. He had died saving the crew of the original _Normandy_. And here he was, back from the dead to lead the new _Normandy_ into battle against a threat far more menacing than Saren and his heretic Geth. Her brother, her best friend, and the only true family she had after Mindoir. The divorce of their parents devastated her, separated her from John. When her father was killed, it was John who rode in with the Alliance to save her. It was John that encouraged her to join the Alliance with him. Then… the Skyllian Blitz. The most stressful event in her entire life. It was her, John, a group of civilians and off-duty soldiers, against an entire horde of Batarians who wanted them dead. It was John who rallied the crowd, and it was Jane that single-handedly fought off waves of Batarians before helping John reseal the door. And when it was time to go to war, that army they raised? They kicked _ass_. They shoved the Batarians off of Elysium, they chased them down and _demolished them_.

_Left leg,_ she thought of the Crew. Chakwas was always such a fantastic person inside and out. While Mordin was a fantastic scientist and doctor, Chakwas was the kind of person you could turn to for medical care _and_emotional support. Mordin always tried to stay cool and calculated, like a machine, nonbiased. Chakwas was relatable. And, as an added bonus, she had been with the Shepards from the beginning. She was the only person suitable to care for Joker as well, and that solidified her importance in the eyes of Jane. Kelly Chambers… she was unique. Energetic, cheery, and a total people-person, she had spoken with multiple squadmates more than once. As the ship's psychologist, she was instrumental in keeping the morale steady. Rupert Gardner… a bold soul indeed. Though the rest of the smartmouthed crew constantly belittled him over his cooking, he would always have a snarky comeback prepared. He was loud and proud, and he never failed to put a smile on Jane's face. Kenneth and Gabby. That little pervert… she loved that Scotsman. Every now and then, she'd toy with him and ask if he was giving the ship all he's got, and he'd put this bewildered look on his face and she and Gabby giggled at their in-joke. Never did she think someone as obsessed with Fornax as he was could make her laugh so much, and in a good way. Kenneth was a beloved member of the crew, regardless of his status as the Little Brother everyone could warmheartedly pick on. And Gabby was his match made in heaven, she thought. The voice of reason. Tali used to antagonize them, pranking the duo every now and then until they all just warmed up on each other. Ha, she remembered the time that she and John played them at Poker. The two conspired to beat them all out with their infamous "I'm New" bait. John ultimately won, as he usually did, but not before Jane let her Poker Face slip long enough for Kenneth to get cocky.

_Right leg_, she reminisced about the times she shared with the squad. Building it up had been a joyride. Jacob and Miranda… she was alright with. Miranda had her moments, and Jacob was… Jacob was Jacob. She had no apt description besides that, and she meant well with what she had. Jack? She loved Jack. That psychopath livened up any event. She may swear like a sailor, and she may threaten just about anybody who crossed paths with her, but deep down, Jane figured, she was just a jerk with a heart of gold. She felt terrible for her, though. Jack's past was definitely one full of strife. And while she enjoyed their private "girl talks," as she called them, she couldn't help but worry for her well-being. Mordin was **awesome**. Between his humorous excuses for not being able to chat, to his talent in the area of patter songs. He was a grab-bag full of fun, even if he _did_ try his hardest to be impartial to everything and everyone. _He loves us,_ Jane thought with a smile. Grunt was… interesting. He felt kind of like a son to Jane. It was she that helped him undertake his rite of passage and become part of Clan Urdnot. Zaeed was a wildcard, honestly. His stories were entertaining, and he had a friendly disposition once you got to know him. His methods were a bit… harsh. Too renegade for her tastes. But he was like a delightfully crazy grandpa, in a way. Kasumi was quirky. A Kleptomaniac with class and a charmingly merry outlook on life. Her love of Jacob never ceased to amuse Jane.

_Back_, she thought of the other members of the squad. Thane was mysterious, and suave. Hell, if she hadn't struck up a romance with Garrus, she'd have gone to Thane in a heartbeat. His looming death was a point of contention for her, though. She bemoaned the fact that his days were so terribly numbered, that he could very well only have a few months left. But she was determined to make his last days as comfortable as possible, with the help of the squad. Samara was… Samara. Intriguing, and daring. She was as ruthless as she was wise, and Jane had a high opinion of her. She even believed that Samara had more honor in her little toe than most of the galaxy had in general.

_Face_, she thought about the original _Normandy_ squad. Kaidan, her past love… she felt that they could still be good friends, and he seemed to lack any ill will towards her and Garrus. He was just… so distant from her, when John died. He never paid attention to her, not even as she grieved for her dead brother. She's forgiven him, realizing how painful it must've been for him as well, but Garrus was there when he wasn't. She felt that she made the right choice, and reminded herself that she and Kaidan were still on good terms. Ashley was extraordinary. Ashley was probably the most relatable person on the entire ship at the time. Always had a witty remark for everything, and a sharp eye for poetry and art. The two had a shared interest in archaic human culture, though Jane was far superior in that area compared with Ashley. Tali was like the little sister Jane never had. Adorkable and bubbly, Jane and the young Quarian pilgrim could just hang out and watch old vids for hours on end when they weren't knee deep in the blood of their enemies. Wrex was a wise old uncle to her, always there to support her in rough times. The two were close, that was for sure.

_Chest, right over her heart_, and she thought of Garrus. That intrepid, suave sniper… who knew he could be such a silly, awkward teddy bear when it came to actually following through with his "master plan for romance." As she washed off, she looked up and took one more deep breath, savoring the warmth of the water before finally shutting off the shower. Wrapping a towel around herself, she walked out of the bathroom to go retrieve her clothes, which she had laid out on the coffee table by the couch. She turned the corner and, speaking of the devil, there was Garrus.

The two of them staggered back in shock, both having spooked the other, before calming down and laughing it off. "Garrus, what are you doing here?" she asked. Garrus, whose face was dark blue, couldn't muster an answer, stuttering and stammering, loosely gripping a bottle of wine in his hand by its neck.

"I-I just uh, I came to uhm… I brought wine."

Her brow perked up as she slyly smirked at him. "You know that only one of us can drink that, right?" she said.

Garrus looked down at the very much dextro wine and silently cursed himself for his own stupidity. He set the bottle down and walked over to the sound system, hoping to make up for his failure to bring drinks to accommodate them both. Funky music filled the room, and Jane rolled her eyes; it was the kind of music one would lazily use as the soundtrack to a low-brow pornography vid, rather than romantic mood music for the more high-brow tastes. Garrus stood there, smiling like an idiot. "If you were a Turian I'd complement your waist or your crest and fringe, so…" he began, "Your hair looks… er, good, and your waist… is very… supportive! Wait, no… unless that's offensive in human culture, spirits damn it I shou-"

"Whoa, considered me seduced, smooth-talker," Jane facetiously remarked, approaching Garrus.

"I… I-I," he spluttered, as Jane laid her hands on his shoulders. "I just want to see something go right for a change..." he said. "So much has happened lately, so much has gone so wrong. My… my father's opinion of me, my career in C-Sec… what happened with my group on Omega… Sidonis," he explained, voice trembling slightly. "I… I don't want this, us, to just be… 'blowing off steam,' or whatever. I don't want us to just be sex. I want something to go right, just once… just…"

Jane reached to feel his scars, gliding her hand gently across his face. Before he could say anything else, she planted her lips on his mouth, slowly pushing and walking him back over to the bed, before letting her towel slip off of her body. Garrus, more than a little shocked, recovered soon enough to go with the flow, wrapping his arms around her body.

If this be their last night, they should spend it well.

* * *

John sat alone on the foot of his bed. He knew that, first thing in the morning, he would be throwing all he had into the fray and on the line to defeat the Collectors. This was it. This was the battle of battles, the mission with one-way success odds. He let out a deep, lengthy sigh. Was he ready to die again?

This time he was taking his family with him. If this went horribly wrong, he figured they'd all be in the same room in heaven. So yes, he was ready to die.

At that moment, the door to his cabin slid open. Tali. He had been expecting her.

He and Ashley were both at peace with their break-up, and Ashley seemed to favor Tali over the other women on board the _Normandy_. They were like sisters. If John had to run to anybody for comfort after Ashley, she would have wanted it to be Tali. Tali was… Tali was his forever girl, as corny as that sounded. She was perfect. Her personality, her positivity, was what kept John going throughout this whole mess. In the beginning, he was uncertain about his resurrection and work with Cerberus. Hell, he had been tempted multiple times to take his own life. He never asked for revival, he sure as hell didn't want Cerberus to use him as their own tool for war. It was his duty to the galaxy, a drive for revenge against those who slayed him, and the knowledge that his family was still out there, missing him, that ultimately enticed him to stay.

Cerberus rebuilt his body, seeing Jane rebuilt his mind, and Tali? Tali put his wounded soul back into place. He couldn't see himself living without her. He loved her for her mind, and he had gone all the time in his life that he knew her, not knowing what she even looked like under the mask. That didn't matter to him. She was everything to him.

The only thing that could conceivably stand in their way of each other was Tali's own body. Quarians by nature had weak immune systems. A simple touch could put her down for days, not to speak of a kiss or… *ahem.* She had a plan, though, and he was doing everything he could to help.

"So… I've taken some antibiotics, as well as some herbal supplements that should bolster my immune system," she said. John stood up and took her hands in his. "I was going to bring some music… but I didn't know what you'd like…" He smiled at her consideration. He mentally kicked himself for not mentioning bands such as, say, Snow Patrol or The Goo Goo Dolls in the past. He had a love for 1990s and 2000's Rock, as ridiculous as that was… "And, I'm babbling like an idiot…"

"It's okay… c'mere," he replied, running his hands up her arms and around her back, pulling her in to caress her. The two took a seat on the bed.

"I just don't want to… I want this to work. I've thought it over I've minimized the risks… but I'm still nervous. And that always makes me talk too much and it's a defense mechanism and it's _stupid_, and… people… people who just see the helmet…" she rambled as John reached for her mask, "…can't see my expression, so I have to make it clear… what I'm…" her mask was now completely off. "What I'm… feeling…"

"I love you," John whispered to her. She was _beautiful_. Her complexion was flawless, eyes a shining white. He ran a thumb up the line from her eyebrow to the top of her forehead. With a deep breath, Tali threw herself onto him, lips crashing together with his as she toppled him over and pinned him to the bed.

Others may have said it couldn't have been done. And maybe they're right. But the future has yet to come. Now? Now was the present. And their love was worth it.

Totally worth it.

* * *

For Alexander Clarke, sleep was being a cruel mistress. For what felt like hours, he had been laying on his bed, trying to coax himself unconscious, to recharge for the final battle. He just couldn't do it. His mind was ravaging itself. He sat up in bed, rubbing his face with his hands. He was having no trouble with this mission up until now. What gives?

He looked around the room, trying to find his answer. All of a sudden, he found himself cursing it all. Cursing the Brotherhood, cursing the Creed, cursing himself and the _Normandy_. _Damn it all_, he thought. He thought he had his life planned out. Live life, make a difference, fight for the Creed, end the Templars. Earn good pay while doing it, and someday, settle down to teach a new generation of Assassins and maybe start a family with a nice human girl, maybe an Asari if he was lucky enough.

So he was totally unprepared when he met Kairee. He never imagined he'd fall so hard for a Turian. Her eyes, her smile, her figure. Every inch of her, every curve and angle was beautiful in his eyes. Her tongue was sharp, her mind even sharper. Her compassionate, warmhearted, somewhat geeky demeanor was unique to say the least, and he cherished every moment with her. He always did. From the moment he met her, he knew they would click. He never thought of love, but he knew damn sure that they'd be good friends at the end of the day.

It had taken him years to finally admit that he loved her. And he chose the _best_ time to do so, too; right before they all died to the Collectors. He had stormed out of the Mess Hall after less-than-gracefully admitting defeat and doubt in the Creed that had sustained him for most of his adult life to Miranda, who herself grieved at the loss of her own faith in the Templars. She wasn't exactly experienced in the social department, and callously used the term "brainwash" to describe their actions against the heretic Geth. He was tired, borderline depressed, and disillusioned. And he wanted it to end. No more Animus – he was tired of sifting through his ancestor's memories to look for things that Cerberus wanted. – No more Assassins, for now he simply desired a normal life.

But he knew, that without the Brotherhood, he would have never met the love of his life. It was five years ago. She was merely a Novice, and he a Footpad. The two had been partnered on more than a few missions, and it was with his help that she rocketed through the ranks at such a young age. She even tied with him at some point! While he managed to reach the rank of Assassin and break the tie, leaving her at Veteran, he was confident that she was equally as skilled as he was. Why she hadn't been fully inducted was beyond him, but he figured that, if all went well, she'd finally have her rank.

He loved her dearly, with every fiber of his body, mind, and soul. Without her, there would not be an Alexander. He would have died long ago. He could try to count on his hands the number of times she saved his life, both in the physical and psychological manner of speaking. He ran out of fingers, then tried toes. He ran out of toes.

Just as he did run out of toes, the subject of his raging thoughts herself opened the door to his cabin. She shyly walked over to him, looking him in the eye. He got up and out of bed to greet her. He had to get something off of his chest. "I'm sorry," he said.

"Sorry about what?"

He took a deep breath. "For making an ass of myself in front of you, Fred, Lora, Eleria, and Miranda," he replied.

Kairee only laughed and pressed a hand to his cheek. "You don't have to apologize for that, Alex!"

He removed her hand and shook his head. "I do. And I… need to tell you something."

"What… is it?" Kairee said in response, tilting her head slightly, voice quieting. His somberness was beginning to trouble her.

"I… don't… think… not just before this mission…"

Kairee blinked, unsure of where this was going. "Alex… you're starting to scare me," she said.

"In the event you survive, and I don't, I don't want you to live your life hurting," he murmured. "You'd be… far better off without me."

"What? Alex, what are you talking about?"

"I'm no good for you," he continued, "You deserve better than some stubborn… egotistical… violent bastard. All I've ever done was hurt or kill people. Killing is my answer to most things. I push my views on others, and I endanger those I care about _because_ I kill and push to convert. I… I failed you protect you when that _bitch_ Lilis… took you, and brought you to Palaven. I failed to protect you on Sanves, I couldn't fight my way out of a paper bag during the October Incident. I've… gotten so many novices and apprentices killed because I had to have revenge on people who wronged me," he explained, starting to choke up, voice trembling. "You need to get off this ship. Leave before it's too late. Go back to the Citadel. Leave me to fight and die in this mission. Live on. Start and raise a family, and go see the galaxy you've always wanted to explore with a Turian that loves you as much as I do."

Kairee began to tear up, reaching for Alexander's arms, holding them in her hands. "Do you honestly feel that way about yourself?" Alexander only nodded, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I don't want to die, Kairee," he muttered. "I want to be with you, but I can't. Not when I know how it's going to end."

Kairee shook her head, taking his arms and wrapping them around her waist. "You… you might not really know how it's going to end, but I do," she said. She ran her hands up Alexander's chest, resting them on his shoulders. "We're going to go into that base, and we're going to give the Collectors hell. We're going to kill every single one of those _fuckers_, and we're going to blow their ugly base into oblivion, pure and simple. And then, we are going to go to Earth, and we're going to have our happily ever after," she expounded, speaking firmly, trying to maintain her composure. "And I'm **not** leaving you. And I don't want a Turian. I don't want that kind of future. You want to know why? Because nobody in the world can love me more than you can, and you are the only man, out of trillions, that I want. To have and to hold until we both live to a ripe old age and pass from this world. And I don't know if our heavens are linked or not, and if they aren't, I will personally bend space and time to ensure that I get my eternity with you."

And with that, she reached up to kiss Alexander, locking her mouth with his lips. It was clear to him now that there was no going back, no giving up. With that in mind, he would fight as furiously as he could to make sure that they would both live. He _needed_ that eternity. He wanted most desperately to give her the things in life that she dreamed of. Everything he would do, would be for her.

Kairee, slowly but steadily, walked him over to the bed, collapsing on top of him, knocking him down onto the bed. Maintaining their kiss, they both worked in accord to free each other of their Levantines. Contrary to what most of the crew believed, they had never done this before. Yes, they had been plenty intimate with each other in the past, but it had been a slow process of trust-building between the two. This was to be the consummation of their love, their first time. They knew the moment would arrive, and prepared in advance. And so the night was sacred to them, as it would be forever in their hearts.

* * *

**Tried to create a chapter full of feels. Don't know if I did it right or not. I wanted to communicate the brotherhood that the **_**Normandy**_** squad felt amongst each other. To give a few characters the love that they deserved and to explore the Shepards and their romances.**

**Their romantic encounters were somewhat edited, especially the part with Jane just coming out of the shower. A little dialogue was changed here and there.**

**And Alexander and Kairee… my priority was to create a moving, deeply romantic relationship that didn't necessarily showcase the sexual side of their love. While yes, it did end up becoming sensual/intimate near the end, there, I truly wanted to make it more poetic than erotic. I feel like sex is a sacred act, and I didn't want to just… toss it out there like it was nothing, with a bunch of slang and uncomfortable descriptions of "lemon." I felt like that would depreciate the value of the characters I am trying to build.**

**Maybe in the future, when I'm older, and have matured more (and actually can get away with it), I **_**could**_** write a lemon encounter between the two. It would be far more… gentle, and spiritual in nature rather than rough and carnal. That's just how they operate, who they are as people. And it'd only be at the end of a lengthy, romance-centered chapter in say, Santorini. (And if any family are reading this, just note to yourself that this is only the entertainment of an idea that will likely never come to fruition. Chill.)**

**So, tell me how I did with everything. I seriously need a review on this kind of chapter. It's a bit new to me. Writing more original drabbles instead of relying on action to progress the plot. I actually almost made myself tear up when I wrote Alexander's self-deprecating diatribe… though it may have been the choice of music.**

**OH! Which reminds me!**

**Recommended Listening: (Remove [colon] replace with :)**

**Miranda/Assassin Conversation ~ **Heavy Price Paid – Halo 2 Soundtrack

**https**[colon]**/www**.**youtube**.**com/watch?v=MoHCpa4rG7I&amp;index=58&amp;list=PLXFOZBcHFiY74PzUPRWxRCnTjUr3im9eF**

**OG Squad Reunion ~ **Never Forget – Halo 3 Soundtrack

**https**[colon]**/www**.**youtube**.**com/watch?v=d7w76B7fO_4&amp;list=PLXFOZBcHFiY74PzUPRWxRCnTjUr3im9eF&amp;index=14**

**Joker and EDI ~ **Ezio's Family – Assassin's Creed II Soundtrack

**https**[colon]**/www**.**youtube**.**com/watch?v=FSVHx23ByhM**

**Thane and Samara ~ **Nameless Song – Dark Souls Soundtrack

**https**[colon]**/www**.**youtube**.**com/watch?v=bpI-KeK-PQg&amp;list=PLXFOZBcHFiY74PzUPRWxRCnTjUr3im9eF&amp;index=53**

**Mordin and Company ~ **(Not Applicable: However, Modern Major General works here due to Mordin's sigature patter song being used :D)

**Jane and Garrus ~ **Mass Effect 2 Love Theme (Reflections)

**https**[colon]**/www**.**youtube**.**com/watch?v=xqoC9X3iNJI**

**John and Tali ~ **Mass Effect 1 Love Theme

**https**[colon]**/www**.**youtube**.**com/watch?v=ECcDavzJGzU&amp;list=PLXFOZBcHFiY74PzUPRWxRCnTjUr3im9eF&amp;index=20**

**Alexander and Kairee ~ **The Streets of Whiterun (Skyrim OST)

**https**[colon]**/www**.**youtube**.**com/watch?v=qo3VAltxlr8&amp;index=74&amp;list=PLXFOZBcHFiY74PzUPRWxRCnTjUr3im9eF**


	15. Suicide Mission

**Holy God I am so sorry for the long hiatus. I have had no inspiration for Masscreed whatsoever this past while. Well with Christmas around the corner I thought I'd finally work up the nerve to give you all another chapter. The final chapter, actually. There might be a sixteenth "epilogue" chapter but I figured I might as well get this dealt with.**

**No long author's note today. Charge.**

* * *

**Normandy SR-2, 2185**

This was it. The moment the Normandy crew had both anticipated and dreaded had finally arrived. It was time to enter the Omega-4 Relay. "Please confirm destination, Shepard. The Reaper IFF is online, but there is a chance that the Normandy may not survive the Omega-4 Relay. Once we are en route, we are committed," said EDI, whose voice spoke over the comms. John Shepard stood over the Galaxy Map, charting the course carefully.

"The Collectors took my people. Time to go get them back," John replied, smirking smugly.

"You got it, Commander. Plotting a course for the Omega-4 Relay. ETA about 2 hours. I'll let you know when we arrive."

* * *

Eyes fluttering open, Kairee quietly woke up, stretching and yawning. She rolled over to see Alexander already out of bed and fully dressed in a fresh set of Levantines. He was sitting at his desk… writing something down in a notebook. No, he was _handwriting it._ Kairee lifted her brow, propping herself up on her arms. Nobody ever handwrote anything anymore; everything was typed into datapads and the holoscreen had essentially replaced paper. Hell, she didn't even know he _owned_ paper.

Then again this was the same man that actually followed the protocol to wear clothes from the 12th century on the daily and whom owned 15th century ammonia-based smelling salts in Renaissance-era iron phials.

"Sleep well?" He said, startling Kairee. He hadn't even looked back at her. She assumed he heard her yawn.

"I did," she replied. Her subharmonic carried a somewhat sultry, pleased sound to it. "What about you, you seemed rather, erm, what's the word… _sensitive_, last night after the Heretic incident?" she asked.

Alexander chuckled under his breath, continuing to write down notes and sketch drawings. "I'm fine, now. I just needed some sleep, I haven't had much of it these past few days," he said, completing a small sketch of the Sur'Kesh Apple. "Man, I bet you could just feel the edge. Speaking of which, um. Weird question, I wasn't… last night… while I was all emotional…"

Kairee laughed and blushed, gleefully recalling the events of the previous night. Her talons lightly brushed over her mandible. "You were _great_, darling. Well, after we got past the awkwardness of all the antihistamines and other stuff,"came the giggly reply.

"Well I couldn't risk hurting you." Alexander set his pen down and swiveled his chair around so he could face Kairee. "You matter too much to me, I couldn't afford to _not_ care, as mood-breaking as it might have been."

"So what were you writing?" Kairee asked, looking to change the topic before the mood died a second death.

Alexander grabbed the notebook off of the desk and handed it to Kairee, who glanced over the pages. Page after page, there were scrawlings she couldn't read, as they were in English, Russian-Cyrillic, and Turkish. Beside the various notes and captions were admittedly well-drawn sketches of Sovereign, then the Pieces of Eden in front of Collectors and First Civilization, which to Kairee looked like the average human. "I've been taking notes and reflecting on the nature of the artifact and its effects," Alexander explained, tapping his index finger on the sketch of the Sur'Kesh Apple.

"And?"

"See, Joker was able to use the Sur'Kesh Apple to repel Collectors and outright kill them, so I thought that…"

_**"All hands to your stations. I repeat, all hands to your stations. We're preparing to make the jump through Omega-4 in ten minutes. Suit up, arm yourselves, and hold on. Expect heavy resistance once the IFF stops confusing hostile scanners," **_announced the voice of Jane Shepard.

Alexander half-sighed, half-groaned, taking the notebook back and clapping it shut, tossing it onto his desk. He leaned over to kiss Kairee on the nose, standing up and heading towards the armory to don his equipment. "I'll see you at the briefing. I have to direct the others," he said, just before the door sealed shut behind him.

Kairee sat alone in the silence for a moment longer before leaving the comfort of the bed. Her own Levantines had been torn from the previous night's encounter, but until she could return to her room to change it would have to do. Straightening the scarlet silk sash on her waist she flashed a quick smirk as a very much Piece of Eden related idea popped into her head.

* * *

"Shepard. I wish I had more information for you. I don't like you heading through that relay blind," said the Illusive Man, taking a puff of his cigarette, "But we don't have much choice."

"I'm not going alone. Behind me are some of the best, and we're going to make it out alive," John Shepard replied, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. Nobody was actually in the room with him, but the point stood regardless.

"I knew we brought you back for a reason… I've never seen a better leader. Despite the danger it's a great opportunity… the first human to take a ship through, and survive."

"I'm _going_ _through that thing_ to stop the Collectors and end their attacks on humanity. This isn't a field trip."

"Understood," the Illusive Man replied, a bit downcast. "…still impressive. I just wanted you to know that I appreciate the risk that you're taking, here, Shepard. Regardless of your opinion of Cerberus or the Templars. To me, you are a valuable asset. To _all_ of humanity. Be careful, Shepard."

* * *

The Relay was a behemoth, no other words could better describe it. A titantic monstrosity of metal and energy, not unlike the other relays spread throughout the galaxy. But this one was different. Instead of an electric blue, this one was an infernal orange, and emanated a sense of dread, of suffering, from the revolving rings that kept its energy flowing. As there was no air in space, there was nothing to facilitate the movement of sound, but judging from the ominous humming and gentle vibration felt all throughout the _Normandy_ as it made the history-making approach, it was as **loud** as it was **intimidating.** Still, the crew of the _Normandy_ wouldn't give up so easily. All it was, was the gateway to Hell. This was nothing to them.

"Approaching Omega-4 Relay… everyone, standby," said Joker, as he navigated the ship towards the jump point.

"Let's make it happen," John said from over Joker's shoulder.

_**"Reaper IFF Activated," **_said EDI, activating the Drive Core as well. _**"Signal acknowledged."**_

Jacob Taylor watched over the activation process. Something about the Core didn't sit well. "Commander," he said, "The Drive Core just lit up like a Christmas tree…"

_**"Drive Core electrical charge at critical levels."**_

"Rerouting!" Joker said, a bit panicked, as the ship shook violently, blasting through the warp corridor created by the Omega-4 Relay.

Alexander charged into the room, hastily finishing locking his left gauntlet to his armor, stumbling and recovering just as quickly. Outside the cockpit were the swirling clouds of blue that characterized an FTL jump. _**"Brace for deceleration!"**_ EDI cried. The black and blue was replaced with a hazy orange and yellow glow.

And a massive field of debris. "Oh _SHIT!_" Joker cried, as the Normandy came deathly close to the wreckage of a cruiser. He managed to get the ship to brake and bank, pulling the bow up and cruising over the wreckage. The ship flew over the debris field, and they were in the clear for the time being. "Phew… too close," Joker continued, leaning against his seat. John and Alexander looked up, out of the window, to see an unwelcomed, unholy sight – the Collector Base, the largest structure in the debris field by far, orbiting a gigantic black hole.

"Sagittarius A*…" Alexander murmured, mouth parting as he took in the realization that he now stood in the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

"These must be all the ships that tried to make it through the Omega-4 Relay…" Joker surmised, resuming his duties of moving the ship towards the behemoth of a base. "Some look… ancient."

_**"I have detected an energy signature near the edge of the accretion disk,"**_ EDI said.

"Has to be the Collector Base… take us in for a closer look, nice and easy."

Joker did so, not knowing that the defense system was already online.

_**"Careful, Jeff! We have company!"**_ EDI warned. Scanners indicated said "company" and painted them on the ladar. That was when they fired. Narrow, crimson beams of energy flew past the wings of the ship, and were visible from the cockpit as they sped off toward the black hole.

"Taking evasive maneuvers!" The ship pulled a 180 flip, rolled around, and Joker fired the main guns, destroying one of the drones. Another rolled out of the way and fired a beam down the spine of the ship.

"Shit… as long as that new plating holds, though, we should be alright," Alexander said, looking up at the ceiling as the ship rocked.

"Going for another round?" Joker asked. "C'mon girl… let's give it to 'em!"

Evasive maneuvers continued, with one of the drones getting the upper hand and lasering the ship in the rear. The Core was in danger of overloading, but improvements made long ago fixed that problem before it started, saving the life of Tali'Zorah, who worked as hard as she could to prevent critical failure. Another 180 flip, another drone down… but one went missing.

_**"Alert, hull breach on the Engineering Deck!"**_ EDI called out, summoning a holomap of the ship with a red circle on the Engineering Deck.

"It's in the cargo hold!" Joker cried, facepalming and shaking his head, sweat dribbling down his face.

"I'll take a team and clear them out. You get the rest of them off our tail!" John cried, patting Alexander's shoulder and sprinting out of the cockpit. Alexander tapped a button on his visor's frame and spoke.

"Lora Baan and Eleria T'Geya to Cargo Hold, ASAP. John's gonna need some help," he said. He stayed in the cockpit with Joker, eyeing the various controls and monitors, Eagle Vision activating to look for any errors he could call attention to. Miranda would join them some time later.

* * *

John was joined in the elevator by Lora, Eleria, and the team he picked out which consisted of Grunt and Thane. The deadly quintet was lowered to the Cargo Hold and, guns at the ready, they charged out to meet their foe.

"Oculus spotted, get out of the way of its laser cannon!" Lora screamed, stringing her words together so quickly she didn't even need a deep breath halfway through her sentence. Without asking what an _oculus_ was, the squad heeded the warning just as said cannon struck a crate, burning a hole clean through it.

"The thing's equipped with armor plating and minimal shielding," Eleria said, taking notice of the slight gleam the oculus's armor possessed.

"Taken care of!" Lora cried, firing an overload straight into its eye, shorting its shields for a brief time.

Grunt roared, quite happily, and fired a concussive shot to tilt the oculus off-kilter while Eleria and Thane combined warps to cause an intense biotic explosion, pushing it towards the hole it punched into the hull. John charged onto the top of the oculus and unloaded his shotgun into its armor plating, knocking a few plates off before jumping off of the oculus just as it fired into the ceiling, burning a shallow hole in it. John rolled into cover as the laser came back down, sawing through another metal crate. Distracted, the oculus could not focus as Grunt charged underneath it and fired a round from his Claymore. Lora called forth a combat drone to provide cannon fodder and cover fire.

"It appears we will need heavy weapons to take it out for good!" the raspy voice of Thane observed, as the oculus's shields came back online. John looked around frantically in response. Something… a grenade launcher, a missile launcher…

A Cain.

_The best goddamn heavy weapon a man could ask for._

John lunged out of cover and sprinted towards the Cain, which sat precariously on the inner edge of the hole the Oculus made. It must have been thrown there when the cargo was scattered. A laser cut off his path to the Cain, and he was forced back into cover. Seeing an opportunity, Eleria flung herself out of cover with her biotics, vaulted over the oculus, and dashed to retrieve the Cain.

She only picked it up at the last possible second. Another blast from the oculus sped towards her, striking her in the arm of her armor, frying through her shields and causing her to drop the Cain and drop to the floor, wounded. "Eleria! Hold on, I'm coming over there now!" Thane cried, frontflipping over low cover. The ship rocked and another rectangular crate slide in his way. Grunt, John, and Lora kept holding the oculus at bay the best they could manage, as it seemed to understand the concept of fear. Fear of the Cain, that was. Thane leaped into the air, double-konging over the crate as another laser fired, brushing him just underneath his chest. He sprinted over to Eleria, picking her up, kicking the Cain to John, then zooming away with the help of his biotics.

John took the Cain in hand and stood, aiming at the oculus. "Everyone clear out!" he cried.

Grunt was quick to follow up. "You heard the Commander, everyone get out of Shepard's way!" he boomed, lunging into cover. He too knew the power of the Cain.

The oculus… didn't fire, this time, and just seemed to stare in abject defeat. John smirked, pulling the trigger. There was a delay.

"Get the hell off of my ship."

* * *

There was a muffled _boom_ as Joker was considering his many options to solve this oculi problem. "We're sitting ducks out here!" he cried. "…I'm going to try to shake them off in the debris field!" he said, taking the ship down and into the heart of the debris field. The ship was jolting as space got tight.

_**"Jeff, our kinetic barriers are not designed to handle impact with debris of that size…" **_EDI cautioned.

"Well I guess it's a good thing we upgraded. I'm going in!" Joker replied, accelerating just as the ship passed under a block of debris, which struck an oculus and shut it down for good. The Cargo Bay was charred from the explosion, and the rocking of the ship caused the five warriors to stumble into cargo left and right as they tried to make it for the elevator. The _Normandy_ scraped against the hull of a derelict ship. "C'mon, find some room!"

_**"Kinetic barriers are at 40%."**_

"Reroute non-critical power… this is gonna hurt!" Joker said, fully embracing the fate of his ribcage. Alexander and Miranda bolted from the cockpit to go strap themselves in. Joker pulled up on the bow, gliding downwards further into the debris, stressing the engines and lowering the barriers by another five percent. "Haa… take the helm, EDI, and take it slow… make sure we don't get anymore attention."

Another oculus survived. _**"I've detected another breach in the Cargo Hold…"**_ EDI remarked, a bit tiredly.

"Again? This one's up to Shepard…"

* * *

_"I said get the hell off my ship!"_

* * *

There was another thunderous _boom_, and the alert was cleared. _**"We're about to clear the debris field,"**_ Miranda called from over the comms, summoning Shepard and company back up to the cockpit. Within minutes, John, Alexander, and Miranda were in the cockpit, looking out at the horizon so to speak, beholding the galactic core and the Collector Base.

"There it is… Hell itself," Alexander muttered, crossing his arms.

"See if you can find a place to land without drawing any attention," John said, as Joker followed the command.

"Whup… too late. Looks like they've sent out an old friend to greet us," Joker said, scratching his head and calling attention to the Collector Cruiser, which was deploying from out of the side of the Base. The Cruiser was thought to be gigantic in size, rivaled by no other ship. But then they noted just how _tiny_ it looked in comparison to the Base itself.

"If… the Cruiser couldn't be filled by all the Terminus Systems…" Miranda started, gulping anxiously.

"And it's only so big compared to the Base…" Alexander continued. The two exchanged a look that said it all. Not even the 11 billion people on Earth could fill this base. The entire combined, galactic human population, and possibly the Turian population in addition, was a drop in the bucket for this monster.

In mere minutes the Cruiser was ready to engage with the _Normandy_. John only smirked. "Time to show our new teeth. Fire the main gun!" Of course, he was referring to the one and only Thanix Cannon.

Two turrets dropped from the underside of the ship's cockpit and charged their payload in seconds, firing a bright blue wave of devastating energy, which burrowed into the center of the Collector Cruiser, breaking its chitinous hull apart. To the _Normandy_ crew, this was payback for the _two years ago_ incident. "How do you like THAT you sons of bitches?!" Joker cried, bucking at the Cruiser, aiming to look intimidating. The Comms were lively, as most of the crew got to see the show.

_"Showing our new teeth, alright! Dr. Garrus Vakarian DDS is in the house!"_

_ "Kamehameha you __**dirty brother-killers**__!"_

_ "Haha! What dirty fireworks!"_

The Cruiser was still standing. John simpered viciously. "Get in close. Finish them off." He didn't get to flash his inner renegade that often, but when he got a chance to live on the wild side without coming across as a thug, he'd take it.

"A-ha-alright! Everybody hold on because this is going to be a WILD ride!" Joker cried, accelerating towards the wounded Cruiser. Dodging a yellow laser blast, Joker performed a aileron roll and zoomed up to the Cruiser, slamming the figurative big red button. Said Cruiser exploded in a series of violent shockwaves and spiraling debris, knocking the ship off course and downing the Mass Effect Field.

"Mass Effect Field generators are offline. EDI! Give me something!"

_**"Generators are unresponsive. All hands brace for impact."**_

The ship's wing struck the Base, clipping against it and causing the ship to spiral as it grinded across the hull plating of the Base, sliding into a cavern. It came to a stop soon enough, and all was quiet.

"Joker!" John cried, rushing to the pilot's aid.

"Euagh, I think I broke a rib… or _all of them…_" he moaned, struggling to sit up. He knew this would happen. He just guessed too early.

_**"Multiple core system overloads occurred during the crash. Restoring operation will take time,"**_ EDI said.

"Well… we all knew this was going to be a one-way trip…" Miranda sighed, holding her head.

"To hell with that," Alexander replied. "EDI can still restore operation, she said it'd take time, and that's all we got right now!"

"Our primary objective," John said, cutting the two off from the inevitable argument, "Is to destroy this station and take out the Collectors. At _any_ cost. Do I make myself clear?"

Joker chuckled, moving past the pain. "Well then we're off to a great start! What's next?"

"How long until the Collectors discover this landing zone?" John inquired.

_**"I am not detecting an internal security network. It is possible that the Collectors did not expect anyone to reach the base."**_

"Well that's pretentious," Alexander quipped, dusting himself off a bit more, standing at attention for further instruction.

"Well if we're lucky their external sensors may have been hit like we were – they might not know we're alive."

* * *

The Briefing Room was filled to the brim with the galaxy's finest warriors. From soldiers to engineers, to doctors to informants, to psychopaths to bounty hunters. John Shepard walked through the crowd as it parted to let him pass. He stood at the back of the room and cleared his throat. All eyes, all ears, on him. His sister stood to his right, accompanied by Garrus, and to his left stood Tali, who gave him an empathetic pat on the shoulder and whispered words of encouragement to him.

"This isn't how we planned this mission," he started, "but this is where we're at. We can't worry about whether the Normandy can get us home. We came out her to stop the Collectors, and that means we need to come up with a plan to take out this Base! EDI, bring up your scans!"

An orange hologram of the Base hovered over the table. **"You should be able to overload their critical systems if you can get to the main control center, here." **She highlighted it in blue.

"That means going through the heart of the station, right past this vast energy signature," Jacob said, lifting his Omnitool and highlighting the signature in cyan.

"That's the central chamber…" John replied, continuing his speech. "If our crew… or the colonists, are still alive, that's where they'd be held."

"There are two main routes. Might be a good idea to split up, and keep the Collectors off balance, then regroup in the central chamber," Jacob suggested.

"No good, both routes are blocked. See these doors, the only way to get past would be for somebody to open them from the other side," Miranda replied.

"It's not a fortress, there has to be some way…" John said, leaning forward and wracking his brain for necessary ideas. He noticed a particular piece of the holomap, and nodded faintly. "Here, maybe we can send someone through this ventilation shaft."

Jacob simpered. "Practically a suicide mission," he said, crossing his arms. "I volunteeeer…"

The technologically adept members of the team gave him a look that communicated well what was on their mind; that he was an idiot. Miranda tried to play it nice, however. "I appreciate the thought, Jacob, but you couldn't shut down the security systems in time. We need to send in a tech expert."

"Your call, Commander," Jacob said, a little peeved.

"Here's a thought," Wrex said, eyes on Legion. "Send the Geth in to do it, make him pull his own weight around here." He grinned, half-expecting him to die, half-expecting Legion to be able to actually get it done and survive. Regardless, he wasn't one to forget a grudge, especially after the events that unfolded two years prior to now. Whatever the circumstances, heretics or no heretics, Legion wasn't too trustworthy in the Krogan's eyes.

"He _can_ hack through anything," John decided. "Legion, you're going in the shaft."

"Acknowledged," replied Legion, as he cocked his sniper rifle, holding it up at the ceiling.

"The rest of us with break into two teams, and fight down each passage. That should draw the Collector's attention away from what Legion is doing," continued John.

"I'll lead the second Fireteam, Commander. We'll meet up on the other side of the doors."

Jack snickered. "Not so fast, cheerleader… nobody wants to take orders from _you…_" she said, snarling at Miranda.

"No offense but she's kind of right," Jane added, raising her hand. "I volunteer. We're both Shepards, right? We all can agree that we have this innate leadership quality?"

"This _isn't_ a popularity contest! Lives are at stake! Commander you need to pick somebody who can command loyalty through experience!" Miranda fired back, eyes on John.

"Ashley, you lead your own squad on Eden Prime, right? Dog Squad?"

"I'm not sure I'm ready for that responsibility, John," Ashley said, shaking her head and waving her hands as she instantly realized where he was going with that.

"Nonsense. Don't you remember what you did on Virmire?" Kaidan said, nudging her shoulder. "You led that team all by yourself and you accomplished your mission!"

Ashley gave it a moment's consideration then smiled brightly. "I'll do it."

Miranda shrugged. "Alright. As long as this isn't a repeat of Dog Squad." Rather than let this get to her, Ashley remained silent.

Alexander was quietly examining the holomap when he felt something. Not an energy signature… something more menacing. Powerful. Familiar. "Wait. This plan cannot work," he said, a bit abruptly, as John was about to make the closing speech.

"And what, pray-tell, is the problem with it?" Thane asked, hands behind his back as he regarded his colleague with a blank expression that still somehow conveyed irritation.

"You can try to overload their systems all you want, but while somebody is up there micromanaging everything that goes on in this facility, their just going to shut it back down or sabotage any devices we plug into _their_ systems."

"A Collector General, then?" Samara inquired, narrowing her eyes.

Jacob closed his eyes, recalling the Collector Cruiser incident, and the mission on Horizon. "Somebody has to be in control of these Collectors."

"That was 'Harbinger.' A Reaper has been controlling them remotely, but he can take one as his avatar whenever he wants," Jane explained, "What does he have to do with this?"

Eleria continued for Alexander. "I can see what he means. Sure, Harbinger gets to control Collectors on a whim, but there has to be some kind of favorite toy, right? Somebody he possesses regularly to maintain the Collector Base or Cruiser as he sees fit?"

At this point, Lora crawled up onto the table and walked to the Holomap, pointing at the very center of the chamber, highlighting a fairly large energy signature in green. "This location here would, _**~hhkkt~**_ likely be where their Collector General, _**~hhkkt~**_ would reside."

Kairee was catching on, and she extended a hidden blade to the green highlighted area. "Alexander and I will lead the Assassins up there to take out this alleged Collector General and the other favorites of Harbinger, so that you can set the reaction in motion and destroy the base," she said.

"But first, I ask that you allow me to retrieve something important first," Alexander replied. "A weapon I've been meaning to try."

John nodded in reply and examined the map for any more anomalies. "I don't know what we're gonna find in there but I won't lie to you; it's not gonna be easy," he said, starting the end of his briefing speech, "We've lost good people… we may lose more." He put his hands behind his back and stood in a digified posture. "We don't know how many the Collectors have stolen. Thousands. Hundreds of thousands. But that's not important. What matters is _this: __**Not. One. More.**_ That's what we _can_ do. Here. **Today.** It ends with _us_. They want to know what we're made of?! Then I say we show them! On _our_ terms! So let's bring our people home!"

Cheers went throughout the squad. As John and Jane were about to depart, Jack held up a hand to gesture for them to stop. She sniffed the air. Then again. Repeatedly she tried to pick up some kind of scent. She gave a smug grin to John, Tali, Jane, Garrus, Alexander, and Kairee. "Did all six of you have the same idea at the exact same time?" she asked the blushing couples, who refused to grace her with a response and simply exited the briefing room.

The warriors exited the _Normandy_, weapons at the ready. The first Fireteam, made up of John, Kaidan, and Mordin, left from the front of the _Normandy _while the second Fireteam left from the rear, headed by Ashley, and composed of everyone else. John opted to take the path of least resistance and cut a clear route through to guide the vent shaft saboteur through their personal suicide mission, while the majority of the crew would draw out the most Collectors to keep them away from the vents. The Assassination Squad made their way out with the second Fireteam, then ran off in their own direction, following Alexander's Eagle Sense.

After setting themselves up with a squad-wide Incendiary Ammunition Morph, Fireteam Alpha walked boldly forward, into the darkness that awaited.

* * *

**Fireteam Alpha: We Are Legion**

"We are in position. Exterior temperature slightly elevated. No obstructions detected," Legion said.

"Second Team, are you in position?" John asked, fingers on the temple of his helmet.

"Affirmative, Skipper, we're in position and we read you loud and clear. We'll meet you on the other side of those doors," came Ashley's reply. Gunfire was heard just shortly thereafter. As John turned the corner to the next chamber, bullets flew past his head and he fell back.

"They've seen us!" he called out.

Kaidan pulled out an M6 Carnifex and fired a shot into a Collector's head, causing it to explode, which killed the Collector instantly. He fell into cover and began firing aimlessly over cover without looking to provide cover-fire for Mordin and John. They joined him under a wall of chitin. John threw a pushed shockwave, which blasted a handful of Collectors off the platform they were standing on, except for their leader who possessed a barrier. Kaidan fired a warp over cover, which homed in on the Collector captain and detonated on his shield. Mordin stood up with a Locust SMG, spraying the ammo on the Collector, setting it ablaze and watching it burn to ash. He sniffed sharply. "Roast insect. Delicacy in some cultures… not so much in professional opinion."

John stood up and ran along the walkway, drawing out the Revenant he had found on the Cruiser and spraying bullets at an oncoming wave of reinforcements flying in to supplement the first line of defense. "Kaidan, Mordin! Remove that Heat Exchange!" he cried out.

"John-Commander, an obstruction has been detected!" Legion cried out. Kaidan set to work using his Omnitool to hack into the valve, opening it up while John suppressed the Collector onslaught. "Obstruction removed! Proceeding!"

John stopped firing his weapon and fell back in line with the other two in his squad, advancing forwards down a winding hall which led to the next chamber. A crumbled pathway lined the side of the ventilation shaft. Kaidan opened the next valve, running out into the crossfire to do so while Mordin and John provided cover fire with a Locust and Revenant respectively. One Collector dropped, then another. The valve opened. Another Collector dead.

An ominous voice boomed through the chitinous, derelict cavern of a base. **"I will tend to this matter myself…"**

"Shit, Commander! Harbinger's here!" Kaidan cried, recognizing that voice from Horizon. John gritted his teeth and inserted another thermal clip into his Revenant. He then switched it out for his Claymore.

"Kaidan, I'm clearing you a path. Mordin, cover me," John said. He rolled over cover and disappeared in a biotic charge, becoming a bright blue torpedo that rammed into Harbinger at full speed. He slammed his gun into Harbinger's head, shattering his barrier, before firing a blast from the shotgun, blowing the head off. The Collector's body exploded into ash and embers. Mordin fired an incendiary blast at another Collector about to knife John in the back of the head. It was staggered back as John reloaded and aimed behind his head, blasting the CQC Collector away. Kaidan ran to the third valve.

"John-Commander! External Temperature is increasing!" Legion called, as the valve was opened. After the third valve, the pathway was too crumbled to proceed, so the three fighters had to jump across the metallic platforms to reach the fourth valve. Another swarm of Collectors flew in, one already possessed by Harbinger.

**"Direct intervention is necessary,"** he said, landing in front of Shepard and kicking away his shotgun. Mordin and Kaidan rushed past the two to deal with other Collectors. John threw his fist forward only to be caught, then drew his backup Paladin pistol to fire at Harbinger.

Harbinger gripped John's wrist and wrested the gun away, pointing it at his face, only to have the gun kicked up into the air. The two traded blows, parrying each other's strikes for a count of three seconds before John caught the pistol, juked under and around Harbinger's leg, and fired into the back of his head twice, killing his body. The fourth valve was opened shortly after.

They kept on going, over platforms and through passageways both metal and chitin to open valves, and as they went, Harbinger kept coming back for more, targeting John alone, trying and failing to achieve revenge with the limitations of the bodies he steals.

It was the final valve. The Collectors were numerous, outnumbering them 27:3. Legion was overheating, fast. "John-Commander, temperature reaching critical levels," he said, as Kaidan threw a biotic pull field towards a drone, yanking it off the ground before shooting it down with his pistol.

"Lucky you chose synthetic. Had you chosen organic… would be dead," Mordin remarked. An incendiary blast burnt the armor plating off of one larger Collector warrior, allowing John to swipe it off the platform with a biotic lift and throw. A beige and black-smoke warp impacted John, searing away his shields as a Collector assassin with glowing cracks all over its body came down to battle in CQC. Kaidan attempted to rush the valve, but Harbinger stayed his enemy's hand and struck him in the jaw, pulling out a shotgun covered in rough, chitinous material. Mordin lunged onto Harbinger, pulling his firing arm up and away, causing the shot to miss by a parsec. John ran over, flicking his wrist and revealing the electo-biotic hidden blade, recently perfected. As he was about to ram it into Harbinger's throat, a sharp shard of chitin erupted from Harbinger's wrist, misdirecting the stab into the wall behind his head. Kneeing John in the stomach, he fired a warp at Mordin, blasting him towards the door, then slashing Kaidan across the chestplate before front-kicking him down.

"John-Commander!" Legion said, before experiencing a tic brought on by overheating hardware. He began hitting the obstruction with his closed hand, trying to get it to open. John threw an underhand shockwave, which rode over the platform under Harbinger's legs, then up the wall behind his back. When it exploded for the last time, Harbinger's armor was broken off and his body flew off the platform into the abyss below. Kaidan recovered, jumped over his Commander, then opened the valve at the last possible second. The heat was flushed and Legion, who was ready to die, ran an emergency diagnostics check, fixing the broken hardware and cleaning his software. Legion ran through the shaft to the other side of the door and accessed the console. John, Kaidan, and Mordin kept firing away at the Collector reinforcements on their side.

"Come in, Ash!" John shouted into the Comms.

"We're all accounted for! Legion, get that door open!"

After about a minute, they heard an explosion. "The door has malfunctioned," Legion stated, knelt down on the other side of the door, hotwiring it to open after the console was destroyed. Within seconds the door was open and Mordin was first through, followed by Kaidan, then John, who backpedaled into the room, firing at Harbinger, who took over a standard drone with an assault rifle, firing from the air.

"Form a line and suppressive fire, let nothing get through that door!" Ashley boomed, standing over a kneeling Zaeed and Wrex, who did as told while the door was closing. Not one Collector made it in when it sealed shut.

Raucous hollering and cheering went through the Fireteams. High-fives were exchanged and adrenaline was off the charts. "Nice work Legion! I knew we could count on you!" John said, taking a moment to breathe.

After only seconds though, a shocked and awed Miranda drew his attention. "Shepard… you need to see this…"

A room, misty and fetid, with ceilings that went on for kilometers. Pods, like the ones on the Cruiser, lined the walls and produced a moist, thick, blinding odor that passed through even Tali's olfactory filters. To most, it was a scent worse than that of a pile of aged carcasses. To even Grunt, he wanted to gag, and silently wished he weren't here. Wide tubes went from wall to wall to wall, then off winding through the corridors to some unknown location.

"…Alex, do you copy?" Jane asked, ready to start streaming her HUD's perspective to Alexander and his team.

There was static, before Alexander's voice broke through. _"We haven't located the General but we're on the right track. We just finished off a wave of Collectors. Eleria's hurt, but she's alive. Kairee's administering medigel… what I wouldn't give for a little reinforcement… the hell are you guys anyway?"_

She started streaming as the group approached the pods closest to the floors. Ashley and Kaidan took note of one pod in particular. An unconscious woman stood straight up, head slumped a little to the side. "Lilith?" Kaidan asked nobody in particular, hand on the "glass" of the pod.

"There's more over here!" Thane called, gesturing to a cluster of pods holding the familiar faces of Ken, Gabby, Chakwas, Gardner, Hawthorne, and the others. Suddenly, steam began hissing from the underside of Lilith's pod.

"God… she's alive!" Jane cried as Lilith woke up. Her sun-kissed skin began to rot away into black and red blotches and gashes as her flesh melted, eyes slowly going clouded and white with blindness. She began hitting the glass, screaming at the top of her lungs while Jane and Miranda scurried to find a release switch. As Lilith beat the glass, it created a splash of blood and melted organic fluids, a thick syrup of base proteins that coated the walls of the pod as she frantically tried to escape and fight through the pain. Her hair fell and turned to dust, her limbs came apart and her legs melted down, dropping her height by centimeters every second. Her screams died down as her organs failed and her brain was liquefied, though her vegetated body continued to instinctually hit the glass, with its last remnants of consciousness, coating the glass with what once was human flesh and blood.

**"GET THEM OUT OF THERE!"** John screamed, taking out his weapons and battering the glass on Chakwas's pod, wailing at the pod like he was going insane.

Grunt and Wrex took out their shotguns and smashed the glass on Ken and Gabby's pods in one fell strike, catching their intact bodies as Ashley and Kaidan worked together to punch their way into Gardner's pod. The others retrieved the rest of the crewman and laid them down safely away from the pods. Chakwas was first to awaken. "Shepard… you… you came for us," she said as she came to. Kelly Chambers stood up on shakey legs and held onto Garrus for support.

"Oh God… I had a horrible nightmare…" she said, feeling her face and shoulders. Garrus's eyes and mandibles twitched as he and everyone else present heard the hissing of pods throughout the area, and the ghastly, desperate screams of men, women, and children who were all sharing Lilith's fate.

_"Holy F-Fuck… this… this is a goddamn slaughterhouse!" _cried Alexander's frenzied voice from the other side of the Comms. Never had he seen something that terrible. All the people he killed in different ways, all of his worst enemies he had to assassinate in his career. Nothing was worse than what he and the other Assassins had to witness. He wouldn't wish that on the worst beings in galactic history.

"Am I the only one who just felt a _serious_ shift in tone?" asked Kasumi, sitting down to try and catch her breath, despite not wanting to in the thick of the odor.

"Nobody gets left behind," John replied to Chakwas, helping her to her feet.

Kelly laughed, only for a second, trying to cope with the stress. "Thank God you got here when you did… a few more seconds and we… oh God… _soylent grey…_" she said, practically squealing out the last two words, clutching her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I could feel it eating at my skin…"

Crewman Matthews held her up, sharing every ounce of her trauma and trying his best to comfort her. Chakwas shook her head. "The colonists were… _processed_. Those swarms of little robots they… melted their bodies down into some grey liquid and… pumped it through these tubes…"

"Why… why would they do _this_? What do they need with genetic material?!" Jane cried, trying to keep herself together.

"I don't _know_. I'm just glad you got here before it happened to _us_."

"So are we," Miranda replied. "But, we still have a job to do. We've done well so far, let's hope we can finish the job."

"Joker?" John said, into his helmet, requesting Joker. "Can you get a fix on our position?"

"Roger that, Commander. Those tubes lead into the main control room right above you. The route is blocked by a security door, but there's another chamber that runs parallel to the one you're in."

_**"I cannot recommend that," **_EDI said. _**"Thermal Emissions indicate that the chamber is overrun by seeker swarms. Mordin's countermeasure cannot protect you against so many at once."**_

"Ah, what about biotics? Could we create a biotic field to keep them from getting near us?" John asked, specifically inquiring from the biotics in the group.

"Yes, it may be possible," Samara replied. "I may not be able to protect everyone, but I can get a small team through if they stayed close."

"I can do it too," Miranda said, challengingly. "In theory, any biotic could handle it. Shepard, who do you want to maintain the field?"

John decided that was an easy decision. "Samara and I will take a small team through the swarms. The rest of you provide a diversion by going through the other passage. We'll open the security doors from the other side and meet you there."

Miranda nodded acknowledgingly. "Who leads the diversion team?"

John looked over the squad and pondered for a moment. "Garrus, you got this?" he asked.

"Definitely, John. I'll keep the defenders busy. You slip around the back," said Garrus, hoisting his sniper rifle onto his shoulder.

Chakwas furrowed her brow. "And what about the crew? We're in no shape to fight."

Joker overheard and chimed in, saying, "Commander, we have enough systems back online for a pickup but we need to land back from your position."

"We can't afford to go back, Shepard!" Miranda whined.

John figured they both were right, Chakwas and Miranda. "You won't make it without help. Mordin, go back and escort the crew to the _Normandy_."

Mordin activated his Omnitool. "Joker, need location of landing zone. Will meet you there."

They all had their assignments. It was time to leave this pit and move out.

* * *

**Barrier Team Sierra: The Long Walk.**

"Stay close, you three," Samara cautioned as John, Ashley, and Jane walked close together.

There was a moment of garbled, static-flooded speech on one end of the Comms. "Damn it," John hissed. "Swarms are interfering with the frequencies… are you three ready for this?" he asked. Ashley nodded and pumped her shotgun, and Jane twirled her akimbo SMGs, catching them by the grips and aiming them forward.

They walked down the pathways and platforms with little resistance except from the swarms. No sign of trouble yet. About a quarter of the way through, however, Harbinger arrived in an assassin body, alone. He tossed two Collector warps and struck the barrier, straining Samara's focus and energy. She took cover behind a pillar while John drew his pistol and fired at Harbinger, who flew up and into the barrier, grabbing Jane by the shoulders. John and Jane both wordlessly shouted at Harbinger, who attempted to hoist Jane from the safety of the barrier. **"I know you feel this,"** Harbinger remarked, a lock of Jane's hair escaping the barrier and being tugged on by the swarms outside. John threw a fist into Harbinger's head, beyond the barrier, and Jane was released. She rolled over and unloaded one of her SMGs, eviscerating Harbinger's body, causing him to release control and detonate the corpse.

With the threat over, they moved deeper into the chamber. The only light came from the barrier, and the lights that dotted the Shepards' armor. Eventually they heard the tell-tale moans of husks and abominations, and crawled into cover. Samara crouched down and continued holding up the barrier as the Shepards plus Ashley poked their heads and guns out to shoot down the husks. Once they saw the glowing barrier, the game was on. An abomination made a rush for the barrier, jumping through and exploding on John, knocking him down. Ashley pulled a fragmentation grenade and lobbed it over cover, blasting away a small mob of husks advancing for the barrier. Jane focused fire on two Collector Drones that were supervising the husks, and as one of them was about to die, Harbinger possessed it.

"Tenacious Dick sighted at our 4 o'Clock!" Ashley shouted, pointing to Harbinger as John got back up and drew his shotgun.

"Let him come here and fight!" John cried, blasting a husk that was about to jump onto his back. The combined might of the three pushed the Collector lines back, with Drones retreating to find a more tactically secure location to shoot from. Harbinger did not dare make the same futile mistake again, especially while that was a job for the husks and cannon fodder Collectors. He commanded the defense well, however, and with each passing moment, Samara was growing weaker.

Scions lumbered out from the darkness and joined the battle. And things went from bad to worse. Repeated shockwaves and cannon fire on the barrier was stressing Samara to no end, and a few shockwaves leaked through the barrier to scatter the team, with Samara just barely staying on her feet. Despite the need to fight with the rest, John raised his hands and supplemented the barrier, shielding Samara with his own body.

A shocked and most grateful Samara stood and limped behind him as he took heavy fire from the Collectors and scions. Jane and Ashley did their best to divert hostile attentions, firing explosives and warps at the scions to take them down first. The first scion fell, then the next, in undignified heaps of synthetic flesh. Tumorous sacs on their backs exploded under the sustained gunfire, and the splatter blinded Harbinger, who stumbled through the chaos to run eyeballs first into Jane's awaiting hidden blades, before the body he was possessing turned into a puff of dust and smoke with a pathetic _poof._

The entrance was in sight. Samara began the walk down the final ramp to the team's destination as the onslaught thickened. John was forced to stop holding the barrier with her and drew out his Revenant, laying down a figurative wall of incendiary bullets which lit the armor of the enemy ablaze. "Hurry, Shepards!" Samara cried, nose beginning to bleed. The light of the entrance never looked so beautiful to the Justicar. So the old proverb was true, then. Lights at the end of the tunnel? She smiled and picked up the pace, wanting to desperately to drop the barrier and rest.

"Right behind you, Sam!" Ashley cried, throwing the rest of her grenades out like dice in a game of craps. They bounced and rolled under the feet of the husks and Collectors before detonating, sending synthetic body parts everywhere. John and Jane swept for survivors, backpedaling away towards the door. With one final roar of defiance, Samara turned on her heels and pushed the barrier, sending it away, taking the countless seekers, husks, and drones away and into walls or down into the abyss. With a triumphant sneer, she walked away as Jane closed the door.

"Shepard… John, Jane honey, copy!"

"I copy. What's your position?"

"Down by the door, taking heavy fire!"

Jane broke into a sprint, flinging herself onto the console, cracking the code and sending the door sliding open. Grunt, Kaidan, Jack, and Tali came through the door first, followed by the others backing up and holding down suppressive fire. Garrus came through last, but not before taking a bullet to the stomach. As the door sealed, he fell to his knees. Jane screamed his name and ran over to his aid, throwing his arm around her shoulder to hold him up while she examined his wound.

"Gah, Jane. I'll be fine…" Garrus said, ruffling her cinnamon-red hair. "But I appreciate your concern."

John sighed in relief and raised a hand to his helmet, calling for Joker. "Are you at the rendezvous point?"

"I'm here, Commander. Chakwas and the rest of the crew showed up."

_**"Mordin's group has arrived, Commander. No casualties."**_

Everything was going perfectly. John's eyes widened as he realized that this "suicide mission" wasn't suicidal at all. They were just too overpowered to _die_.

"Excellent, now let's make that count," Miranda said. "EDI, what's our next step?"

_**"There should be some nearby platforms that will take you to the main control console. From there you can overload the system and destroy the base."**_

"Commander we've got a problem. Hostiles amassing just outside this door. It's not gonna hold."

Jane hopped up onto a raised platform and turned to face the crew. John followed her up. "A rear guard could hold this position and prevent the Collectors from overwhelming us."

Miranda hopped down to rejoin the team. "Pick a team to go with you, Shepard. Everyone else can bunker down and defend from attack."

John and Jane gave each other one look, and they knew who was coming with. "Tali, Garrus, Ashley, Kaidan, and Wrex. You all were part of the original team. I can't imagine anyone else being there with us when this ends," Jane said.

The two twins helped their choices onto the platform. "Haha! Shepards, let's go put an end to this, once and for all!" Wrex boomed, punching his fists together.

"I'm ready, John," said Tali, lightly caressing her lover's arm.

Miranda smiled and took a deep breath before asking, "Anything to say before we move out?"

Jane cleared her throat. "The Collectors… the Reapers… they aren't a threat to us," she began. "They are a threat to everything. Everyone. Those are the lives we are fighting for!"

John took his sisters hand and stepped forward, continuing the speech. "This has been a long journey. And nobody's coming out without scars," he said, "but it all comes down to _this moment._"

Both Shepards stood tall and ready, speaking almost in unison, knowing exactly what words were on the other's mind. "We win, or we lose it all in the next few minutes. Make us proud. Make _yourselves_ proud."

John made the closing statement. He let go of his sister's hand and sighed. "And for everyone. Everyone that ever was, everyone that is, and everyone that ever will be. Fight for _them_. Fight for the lost, and for those not yet lost!" he thundered. The room shook, and the door behind them opened, the platform carrying them away.

* * *

**The End of the Line**

"Alex, tell me you have that General dead!" John cried into his Comms as platforms began hovering in from all directions, carrying fireteams of Collectors their way.

Static.

"Shit… well they found _something_," Kaidan remarked, warping the barrier off of Harbinger as he tried to yet again rush the Shepards with a shotgun. Wrex rammed his shoulder into the possessed Collector and knocked it off of the platforms to its destruction.

"Hopefully they're still kicking, I need Clarke to get his lackeys to leave my planet when I go back to Tuchanka!" Wrex bellowed, shotgunning a scion in the back-tumor.

Jane Shepard was busy dealing with several assassin-class Collectors at once, battling them in a mixture of hand-to-hand and close-quarters SMG. She vaulted over one, and its ally stabbed it through the neck, creating a Collector shield between the attackers and Jane, who drew an SMG and fired into the enemy squad, cutting down three drones.

Advancing to the next platforms, more flew in packing deadlier opponents than the last. Ashley had long switched to her boomstick and was busy keeping the waves of husks and abominations off of her. "I don't know about you all, but this has been a pretty interesting day!" she jibed, batting one husk away with the stock of her gun, shooting an abomination in the head to prevent detonation.

"It's just like old times. But with more husks and less Geth," said Garrus, sniping Harbinger in the head as his next body's platform sailed in from the left.

Kaidan ducked under a scion's cannon blast, replying by activating his tech armor. "I'll say. I didn't even known husks came in explosive red!"

Tali spawned her combat drone, Chiktikka vas Paus. "You're telling me. I don't even want to _think_ about the process that goes into making one! Go for the optics, Chiktikka! Optics!"

Chiktikka zoomed back and forth, zapping assassins and scions, distracting them from the real threat. John charged into a Collector drone, sending it sprawling out on its back before he fired his shotgun into its chest. He took out his Revenant and twirled around 180 degrees, cutting down three assassins with the hailstorm of bullets. Wrex grasped his pistol in hand and held his shotgun in the other, firing potshots from his pistol at the scions which he wished to challenge himself, firing his shotgun to smite the husks on his tail. He'd handle the recoil by whirling the gun over his finger and letting the kinetic energy fade before grasping the handle again. It was inaccurate, but at such close range, he managed to make it work.

Kaidan threw an overload. It hit a scion, doing little to it, but when he jumped onto the scion's blown-out back and detonated his tech armor, it reacted with the overload and resulted in a large-scale electrical explosion that fried the head of the scion, killing it. Wrex smirked, knowing his kill was stolen, but proud of the little human for being so bold. He whipped around on his heels and jammed the top of his shotgun into the head of an oncoming abomination, batting it clean off before holstering his pistol, performing a Krogan's charge, and ramming the barrel of his shotgun into the neck of another scion.

There was a splatter of synthetic blood as John finished his final opponent, Harbinger again, possessing an assassin with a beam cannon. Taking the beam cannon for himself and kicking the ashes of the Collector into the air, he regrouped with his squad. He found a piloting console and activated it, directing it to the main control room.

"This is it, all the tubes lead to this spot!" John said. "EDI? What can you tell us? What are they doing?"

_**"The tubes are feeding into some kind of superstructure. It is emitting both organic and non-organic energy signatures. Given these readings… it must be massive."**_

There was genuine concern in her metallic voice as the platform edged closer to the superstructure. John, Jane, and Wrex stood, mouths agape at the referenced structure, as Jane tapped Garrus on the shoulder. The sense of dread would spread until all eyes were on the atrocity above and before them.

_**"If my calculations are correct… Shepards. That, that structure is a Reaper."**_

"Not just any Reaper," John remarked, glancing at the shockingly familiar form of the machine before them. "A _human_ Reaper."

And truly, this monstrosity was modeled after the human form. It was nothing but a torso, two limp arms supported by crossbeams and wires, and what seemed to be three quarters of a skull, with half of the lower jaw missing. On its face were three eyes, something that said the Reapers either could not count or failed to notice two human eyes.

_**"Tens of thousands of humans have been processed… significantly more will be needed to complete the Reaper," **_EDI said.

"What… what would they gain by turning humans into this _shell_?" Ashley asked, gazing at the construct in horror.

_**"They may be facilitating the Reaper equivalent of reproduction..." **_EDI replied. _**"Or, it may serve another purpose. I do not have the data to speculate further."**_

"Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. And some people say _we're_ gross for using sex to reproduce," Wrex spat. "This _thing_ uses melted humans!"

_**"It is clear that the Collectors are merely pawns. The technology needed to create this Reaper is NOT their own. It is likely that different species construct each Reaper. In this case, the Collectors provide the labor."**_

Something came to Jane's mind. "The Collectors are just Protheans, though. Why would _they_ help the Reapers?"

_**"The Reapers subdued the Protheans long ago… Probabilities suggest that the Reapers attempted to build a Prothean Reaper… and failed. Over time they adapted the Protheans to suit their needs. Changed them. Turned them into workers. Tools for the Reapers."**_

"But why _us?_ Why make it look like a human?" asked Kaidan, sitting down with his back against the piloting console.

_**"It appears that each Reaper is modeled after the species used to create it."**_

"So… what was Sovereign?" Tali asked, suddenly not wanting to know the answer. She decided to ask another question. "Reapers are… machines. So why do they require organics at all?"

_**"Incorrect. Reapers are sapient constructs, a blend of organic and synthetic materials. The construction methods are unclear, but it seems probably that the Reapers absorbed the essence of the species, utilizing it in their reproduction process."**_

"Tens of thousands of souls, crying out in agony… only to be silenced by indoctrination," Ashley said, swallowing fearfully. "This, this is the abomination to outclass all abominations, screw whatever the average church thinks about some fellow _people_. Forget the red husks' codename. We have to destroy that… _thing_."

_**"The tubes supporting it are a weak structural point. Destroying them should cause the supports to collapse, and the Reaper to fall."**_

Another voice rumbled throughout the cavernous construction zone. **"If I must tear you apart, Shepard. I **_**will**_**."**

"Give us a minute EDI. Time to take care of some old friends, first!" Jane said, inserting thermal clips into her Hurricanes.

* * *

**Assassination Squad: The Blades In the Dark.**

_The trail wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm either. Alexander could sense a way up to the control room where the Collector General waited, monitoring the entire station. The success of this mission was entirely dependent on that thing's death._

Leaving the _Normandy_, he ran ahead of the second Fireteam with his fellow Assassins, jumping up into the jungle of wiring and beams. Over the walkways he scaled, across the walls he seemed to glide as he effortlessly traversed the distances between climable terrain. Behind him were Kairee, Eleria, and Frederico. The latter Assassin was trying to keep up whilst ensuring the safety of Lora, who was having trouble with the freerunning aspect of her line of work. Gunfire sounded from below as Ashley Williams led Fireteam Bravo into battle against the hordes of Collectors none the wiser to the Assassins that loomed overhead. Golden irises could see a trail of misty gold, telling him where to step, where to grab, and what direction to move towards. Up and rightways he went, crawling into a hole in the stations chitin plating and finding himself in a crawlspace. Eagle Sense produced dark vision, so with a tap to the side of his visor, the ruby red, holographic display turned emerald green. Night vision activated. He army-crawled through the vents, quietly signalling for Kairee to follow after. Eleria and Frederico helped Lora into the vent and away they went, following the man who could see beyond sight.

There was a buzzing in the vents. Alex could hear that plain as day. Still, he kept going through the vent, following the misty trail. "Are you certain he knows where we're going? He's never been to this place in his life, has he?" Eleria asked, losing faith.

"If he has, he's a real _caralho_ for not telling us how to get past the Relay earlier," Frederico quipped. Alexander said nothing, instead blasting open part of the wall with a shockwave, revealing a room in the central chamber above the one Bravo Team was fighting through. Crawling out, the Assassins assessed their battle plans.

"There are… over 12 Collectors beyond this door," Alexander said, staring at the metallic door. "Five assassins, seven drones. Kairee and Frederico, you two support Eleria and I as we go in up close to attack with our guns and biotics. Lora, summon a combat drone to serve as a distraction and deterrant."

Lora, who was at work getting the door, flashed a thumbs up. The door slid open with a hiss, and a combat drone, "Irule," was out immediately. Kairee took cover and pulled out her sniper rifle, slipping a thermal clip into it. Frederico advanced with Eleria and Alexander, through a throw field at an assassin, then fell into cover with his pistol.

Alexander vaulted over cover and pinned a drone down, stabbing it in the face with both blades before standing up, pistol-whipping an assassin with his M11-Suppressor, then firing thrice, striking the last three assassins. Eleria activated her tech-armor and fired her M3-Predator pistol to hold the Collectors in cover. One stood up, to shoot, and was blown away by a powerful shot from Kairee's Mantis rifle. Frederico tossed a warp over cover and destroyed the Collector drone captain's barrier, followed by Eleria using her own biotics to pick up and fling the captain into the wall, where Alexander promptly thrust his blade into its neck, pinning it up on the wall for a moment.

Eleria ran to cover, then when the gunfire stopped for cooling and clip exchange purposes, she rolled out of cover with Alexander and they both combined their biotics to create a nova blast, pounding the ground with their fists to force them out of cover.

Irule the combat drone floated over and delivered a powerful electric shock to one, exploding its head. It fired a rocket at the next, blowing it to pieces. Kairee sniped another as it was forced to stagger out of safety, a spray of black and yellow synthetic fluid spurting from its bulbous, blank eye. Finally, the last drones were destroyed when Alexander crushed them against the floor with a shockwave from above.

Proceeding into the next room, they heard a conversation over their Comms. _"Come in, Ash!"_

_ "We're all accounted for! Legion, get that door open!"_

A bullet zoomed past Alexander's head and struck Eleria in the collarbone, going past her armor. "Gah, I'm hit!" she cried, diving out of the way as a spray of bullets met the Assassins who ran for cover.

"Reinforcements dead ahead and to the left hall! Kairee, switch to automatic weapons, holding them down!" Alexander cried, drawing out his Automattock, leaving the safety of the vertical pillar he called cover and crouch-walking under the line of Kairee's fire, covering the left hall while Kairee suppressed the center hall. He got behind a chitin-covered block of metal and exchanged clips. Standing up, he called for Frederico and Lora to run to him and cover him while he moved forward again. This time, Frederico threw a singularity out to capture and damage the Collector drones in the left hall while Lora directed Irule to attack the drones in the center hall. Kairee fell back and activated her Omnitool, and set to work healing Eleria.

Alexander's Automattock was doing a number on the Collectors, who either fell into cover or got shot down by the powerful rifle. The last Collector bit the dust due to Lora's Phalanx pistol. Blowing the smoke off, she proudly holstered the weapon and there was a peace. _"…Alex, do you copy?" _Jane's voice said through the Comms. Alexander picked up, looking back at Eleria, Eagle Sense deactivated.

"We haven't located the General but we're on the right track. We just finished off a wave of Collectors," he said, grimacing when he saw Eleria's blood on her armor. "Eleria's hurt, but she's alive. Kairee's administering medigel… what I wouldn't give for a little reinforcement… the hell are you guys anyway?"

A request to broadcast Jane's HUD's perspective appeared, and Alexander accepted. What he saw, would haunt him forever, he was certain of it. Endless rows of pods along the walls, each with a person inside. A living, breathing person. They found the colonist Lilith's pod. The girl from Horizon who was with Kaidan and Ashley. Alexander heard the hissing before Jane looked down to the source of it, and he knew that there was a problem.

Lilith started rotting, then melting, into base genetic sludge. Alexander's throat grew hard as steel as he tried to swallow his spittle but could not do so, as he fought his own gag reflex. He crouched to a knee, and looked around at Frederico, who was slumped against cover, covering his temples with his palms. Lora was doing diagnostics on her mask's filters, and she looked desperate in doing so. Eleria's eyes were closed – she did so intentionally when she saw the first bleeding blotch of ruined flesh open up on Lilith's forehead. Kairee was shivering, forcing herself to watch only because she knew she needed to know what was going on, and why the Collectors were doing this. Eleria was healed for the time being. Kairee's work was done. She slowly crawled away, and towards Alexander, who wasn't doing any better than her in watching the squad scream at each other to break open the pods.

The shrieks of agony flooded Alexander's ears, reacting poorly with his current, Bleeding Effect induced state. Lilith had melted down completely, but the crewmen were saved in time. "Holy F-Fuck… this… this is a goddamn _slaughterhouse!_" Alexander panicked into his Comms. He was on the verge of having an anxiety attack, and he knew it. He minimized the stream to a tab in his HUD, remembering to toggle night vision off while he was at it. He realized in that moment that if he, or anyone for that matter that he knew, had been captured, that was their fate. He moved an arm around Kairee and held her close for a moment, calming himself down, removing the frame of his visor and putting it aside, taking a moment to breathe.

"Sir. Shall I send that stream to the Citadel Bureau?" Eleria asked, picking herself up and walking, a bit painfully, over to the two Assassin officers.

"No, not yet, we lack answers to certain… certain questions," Alexander replied. "Why are they doing this? Where is that paste going? C'mon, let's keep moving." Alex and Kairee stood up, dusted each other off, and hugged out the last of their stress for a few seconds. This wasn't the last time they'd think of this. But for now, they had a job to do.

Alexander's blue eyes flashed into gold, and he could see the trail once again. He walked – no, - marched down the left hallway, Automattock propped on his shoulder, barrel towards the ceiling, with his M11 in the other hand. Eventually the cracked, dusty path became an incline, and that became a spiraling ramp upwards. A horde of husks could be heard shrieking and moaning up above, and the Assassins readied their weapons. Sticking to the far side of the spiral ramp, near the wall to their left, they waited for the husks to descend to their level.

The first husk came, and then the next. Eventually the whole horde was seen behind them. What must have been 20 to 30 husks were sprinting down the ramp. Eager to stay alive, Alexander called a full retreat, holstering his Suppressor and tossing a cooked lift grenade behind him. It exploded, picking up three quarters of the total horde.

Suddenly, in the midst of their retreat, Eleria stopped and whirled around, creating a biotic wall in between her and the husks. "Eleria, what are you doing?! There's too many!" Frederico shouted.

"Shut up and singularity!" came the curt, angered response. Frederico looked over to Alexander, who dipped his head permissively. He threw a sphere of biotic energy that condensed into a point of singularity, picking up the rest of the horde. Alexander, with both hands, launched a shockwave that detonated a biotic chain reaction, vaporizing husk after husk, before resulting in another explosion from the effects of the lift grenade used earlier. The force of his movement jostled his armor and equipment, and Kairee could see a faint glowing emanating from inside one of his utility pouches, which had a strange bulge in it. She thought to question Alexander, but the mission took precedence. The Assassins freeran back up the spiral ramp at full speed, coming to the top and staring down a massive hallway full of seeker swarms.

"Shit, more bugs," Eleria whispered, crouching down. "I don't think we can sneak past with Mordin's countermeasure."

Thus, the bulge in Alexander's pouch became relevant. He reached into the utility pouch and withdrew the familiar object the crew feared. The Sur'Kesh Apple of Eden glimmered in his hands, sparks of light bouncing off, seemingly magnetized towards the seeker swarms. "I told you, I needed to go retrieve a weapon at the meeting."

Eleria eyed the device anxiously and backed away, recalling the dreaded incident in October. Alexander simply shrugged and held the Apple aloft, standing straight and thrusting it up higher. A surge of golden light escaped the Apple and created a barrier around the Assassins. Alexander's hand and facial features were twitching. The experience was painful, that much could be said. He began to walk forward towards the seekers, who upon hitting the Apple-created barrier were deactivated and fell to the ground, sliding across the walkway.

The Assassins found themselves amazed that they themselves were not affected by the Apple at this time, and silently followed behind Alexander, who began to pick up the pace. Seeker swarms continued to malfunction, and eventually retreated entirely, hanging from the walls and ceilings like bats in a cave, trying to stay away from the Apple's effect field. The pathway was tough to walk on, for sometimes parts of it would crumble and fall away, or the occasional husk would try to walk through the barrier and scare one of the low-ranking Assassins, namely Frederico.

Whereas Samara and company moved downward on their long walk, the Assassins were moving upward, in the opposite direction of the main group. Their light at the end of the tunnel came soon enough, but in the form of a gigantic, secured blast door. Collector guards stationed at the door shot at Alexander, attempting to take the Apple barrier down. But before Alexander could fall at the hands of the Collectors, Frederico and Eleria instinctually defended their leader by shooting into the heads of the four guards at the door. Alexander was not in outstanding condition, and he deactivated the Apple, collapsing to his knees and holding his head, cursing in Russian, a thick accent about his voice.

Kairee went to his side, helping him up as Lora walked up to the console and – lifted up by Frederico - got to work on it. "Are you going to be okay?" she whispered to him, lifting his chin to get him to look her in the eyes.

"I'll be fine. It'll take more than headache to deter me from finishing mission," he said, Russian accent and grammar overruling his knowledge of English. It came out a bit sloppy to Kairee's translator but she understood regardless. She pulled his hood back and pressed her forehead to his, ruffling his hair. Alexander took a breath. "Honey. General is behind door. Heavily guarded. Long hallway, General is on end of hall."

"Mmhm. I'm ready. Are you?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, _moya lyubov._"

"Stop it," Kairee commanded sternly. "Stop using that ability, and stop using this Apple. We can kill the Collectors conventionally, and the Seekers are gone. Just… please, don't hurt yourself."

Alexander nodded tiredly and stood up. He kept his hood down, and removed his visor, collapsing it and slipping it into a pouch. "Gentlemen and women," he said, clearing out his throat, beating his fist to his chest and speaking in cleaner English, with a much lighter accent. "I'm honored to say that our mission draws to a close today. I must give my gratitude to you all; you have remained with me longer than most semi-ranked Assassins would on an alleged 'suicide mission.' And whatever underlying motives you had, you poured every drop of yourselves into the completion of our mission. For that, I am proud of you all. Frederico, Lora, you are both geniuses, invaluable to the cause. In the event we survive I will ensure you are properly placed in the Brotherhood's Science and Research Department, where you belong as fully ranked Assassins. Eleria, I realize that I have grossly overlooked your capabilities. I continue to elevate Frederico and Lora, while you have served me so faithfully and without question. In fact, I noticed that each time you were overlooked you only worked harder. For my inattention I apologize with utmost sincerity."

Eleria knelt and bowed her head. "Assassin Clarke. There is little need to apologize to me," she said. "I'm not as loyal to the Brotherhood as I once thought. That… one Vindicator…"

Alexander dropped his air of professionalism for a fleeting moment. "Skarn is hardly Templar material. I wouldn't be surprised if we found him defecting. And, please do not deflect my apologies. Because, you see, I am elevating each of you to Veteran."

Eyes were wide amongst the three lower Assassins. "S-sir, we are hardly ready for that!"

"Nonsense. If we die, nobody knows I broke a rule, considering you probably _weren't_ actually ready for it. If we live, I never broke a rule at all because you clearly _are_ ready for that promotion. Just understand that, as I am not a Master Assassin, I cannot make you fully-ranked." Nods of acceptance were seen, and Alexander prepared his ending statements.

"Veterans. Today, right now, this is do, do or die, or do _and_ die. Failure is unacceptable now that we have come so far. So remember just _who_ and _what_ you are fighting for," he said, lifting his arms into the air, taking on a stance more familiar on a preacher. "You fight and kill as true warriors. And as it has been said by those far wiser than I, 'the true warrior does not fight because he hates what stands in front of him; he fights because he loves what stands behind him.' So what _does_ stand behind you? Friends? Family? A Brotherhood of likeminded individuals who all are willing to lay down their lives for the cause of securing freedom and peace for the galaxy and all who inhabit it?!"

"Sir, yes sir!" was the cry of the other four Assassins.

"I know damn well who and what I fight for! One woman - and you damn well know who – is standing among you four!" Alexander shouted. A gentle blush crept onto Kairee's cheeks as Alexander continued, "And the other Nthtillion men, women, and children are all around us in every direction, for we stand closest to the galactic core than any human, Turian, Asari, Krogan, Quarian, Salarian, Drell, or Volus has ever stood before! So **today**, Assassins, we're not here to assassinate some Templars like it's another Tuesday afternoon! We are here, to put the Collectors down like the abominations they are! We are here to plunge our blades into the deadliest enemies this universe has ever known, and become **thorns in the sides of **_**gods**_**.** _**How**_** does that make you feel?!**"

"**Sir, damn proud, sir!"**

"Then follow, my brothers and sisters in freedom! Forward, unto a new age! One without the Collectors! Lora, hit the switch!"

The Volus Assassin inputted the final code into the console and the doors opened wide. As they slid open, Alexander drew out from his pouches two grenades – one lift and one cluster grenade.

The lift grenade detonated first, picking up a line of five Collector drones plus the cluster grenade, which detonated second, splitting into multiple grenades which each exploded a half second after the other, eliminating all five drones in addition to three advancing assassins who did not see the above grenade cluster. The five Assassins charged into the fray, taking cover. Frederico and Eleria stood only to grasp the Collectors who stood over their barriers and pull them out of safety, stabbing them in the necks and slashing their throats.

Lora called her combat drone and sent it off to distract the beam cannon assassins who had taken refuge in the limited cover provided by the ribbing of the dark metal walls. Alexander pulled his hood back down and placed his visor frame back on his face, grabbing his Automattock from cover and firing away at a Collector attempting to flank Kairee. A bullet or three pierced the side of its head and toppled the attacking drone, rendering it dead. He reactivated his Eagle Sense to see a golden outline of the Collector General at the end of the hall.

At this point, a station-wide alert had effectively been called; Collectors from every nook and cranny of the station were about to start pouring into this hallway and the main control room, where the Shepards were fighting. Frederico threw a biotic throw bolt, striking a precise point in the side of a Collector drone, knocking it into its allies and bowling them over like dominos. Kairee, taking advantage of the multitude of downed enemies, retrieved a sticky grenade and lobbed it over cover, hitting the drone in the middle of the pile. The resulting explosion took out that group of Collectors. Unfortunately for the Assassins, they were soon replaced by another wave of Collectors hell-bent on preventing the death of their General.

Frederico, Eleria, and Alexander launched shockwaves of biotic energy to make room and time for the five Assassins to advance down the hallwall. They used their sidearms to finish off those knocked over by the shockwaves, then went back into cover, with Eleria holding up a low biotic barrier to create makeshift cover in the middle of the hall. Lora and Kairee took advantage of this while Frederico and Alexander made use of the ribbing in the walls. The two male Assassins relied on each other to keep the opposite end of the hall clean of Collectors, as it was entirely possible to shoot them from the other side, getting around the ribbing. Halfway down the hallway, and the General was visible.

A Collector drone dashed toward the barrier and was quickly shot down by Lora, who stood up to fire her shotgun. Suddenly, while she was standing, a shot from a beam cannon struck her in the forehead, penetrating a layer of her helmet and knocking her over. _"Lora?! Fuck! Cover me!" _Frederico screamed, recklessly leaving cover to hold pressure down on the hole in Lora's helmet to prevent her suit from depressurizing.

"Get back into cover you idiot!" Eleria shrieked, all too late, as a sniper's bullet rammed Frederico in the shoulder, stopping in the bone. Roaring in pain he collapsed on top of Lora, holding his SMG in a single good hand while his limp left hand covered the hole. Lora's suit worked to repair itself, but the Volus inside had lost consciousness. It was down to Eleria, Kairee, and Alexander to keep pressing the attack. Eleria was forced to stand up, raise her barrier higher, and move forward, cocking her head to gesture for the other two to follow her.

The three came to an intersection of the hallway in which two doors on either side of the hall stood, opening periodically for new waves of Collector drones. "Kairee, take my gun," Alexander said, handing her his Automattock, "Hold off the stragglers, Eleria and I are going to bar the doors with our biotics and collapse the hallway on both sides to cut off reinforcements!"

Kairee only nodded and took the assault rifle. In three seconds' time, Eleria dropped her barrier and Kairee was left to use her skills as a marksman to kill the Collectors firing upon her. Alexander drew his pistol and supplemented the attack, killing three drones before dropping his gun to put up a biotic field, blocking off the door as it opened to another wave of six Collectors. Eleria copied this defensive strategy on the door parallel to Alexander, holding off an impressive count of ten drones and two assassins. Though this was not without its strain.

Kairee was forced to activate a tactical cloak, becoming virtually invisible while she exchanged thermal clips. Her clanging footsteps on the metal walkway kept the Collectors' attention, and they could see her through cloak to a degree, anyways. They continued to shoot in her general direction as she got close enough to deactivate her cloak, grapple a Collector with her hookblade, and use it as a meat shield while she sprayed a clip from the Automattock, hiding behind the body and her shielding.

With a roar of strain and frustration, Alexander and Eleria used their biotics to rip out vital supports along the door frame. Metal beams and chitinous material collapsed from the ceiling and blocked off the doors. Hearing the sound of a successfully choked off rally point, Kairee cloaked again, dropped the very much dead meat shield, and ran behind Eleria's barrier. "I'm going back for Frederico and Lora," Kairee said, tossing Alexander a freshly reloaded Automattock and another sticky grenade.

Setting the grenade to live, Alexander chucked it past Eleria's barrier and stuck a lone scion that had recently arrived to guard the General. It exploded, taking the tumor on the scion's back with it and severely wounding it. A shockwave from the scion dropped Eleria's barrier, and another shockwave fired in succession blew the Asari away, back down the hallway. Alexander, low on barrier, performed a biotic charge into the scion, slashing into its neck with his blades, decapitating the beast. He tumbled back, flipping away before pulling his M11 Suppressor from the holster and firing off four shots in quick sequence, dropping four more drones. From the entrance of the hallway where the Assassins had stormed in, a wave of Collector guardians – until then unseen for the majority of the mission – approached. All that stood between Alexander and the General was a lone Collector. It stood still in the middle of the hallway, staring Alexander down with its head tilted towards his friends. Its body was covered head to toe in fiery cracks and scars, and its already glowing eyes seemed to burn with a flame that gave off no heat. It wasn't doing anything… almost as if it were giving Alexander a moment of respite?

He spat a curse, and turned to run back towards the remaining Assassins. Lora was up, holding her head in agony, taking potshots from behind Frederico's one-handed barrier with her pistol. Kairee was also down to a sidearm, her M11 Suppressor doing little good against the barriers each guardian possessed. A hailstorm of bullets from Collector assault rifles stressed Frederico's barrier. His determination to keep his friends alive was all that kept it strong.

Almost halfway back, Alexander watched in horror as a guardian broke the barrier. Bullets shattered Kairee's shields and pierced her armor. As she fell to the ground alongside the already incapacitated Eleria and Frederico, Alexander let out a scream that managed to _stagger_ the guardians, who stopped firing to look up at the human Assassin who was now covered head to toe in cerulean biotic "flames." Lunging forward, he took to the air and flicked his wrists, blades sliding out. He collided with a guardian, running it through and creating a nova effect that slammed into the wave of other guardians, blowing them off of their feet. He charged again, kicking one Collector up high enough for its neck to be in stabbing range. He was able to kill an additional two this way before the others stood back up and fired their rifles, dropping his barrier. He fired a shockwave, caring little for the immense stress he was putting on his implants and his own brain. Those hit traveled far enough to fall over the sides of the bridge the Assassins crossed to get to this point.

They were finally alone. Alexander fell to his knee, and hobbled to the other Assassins. Activating his Omnitool, he checked the vitals of each of his teammates.

Lora's suit was damaged, but not to the point of breach. She was alive, propped against the wall and wheezing painfully.

Eleria's left leg was misshapen, obviously broken. She was breathing shallow breaths and the ground around her was a bit bloody.

Frederico lay with bullet holes in his chestpiece and pauldron. A bullet was lodged in his shoulder and two had just missed his vitals, but that didn't excuse the threat of bleeding out.

Kairee... Her armor was ruined by projectiles that had torn several of the ceramic-metallic plates off, exposing the bodysuit underneath. Her carapace had stopped more than a few bullets, but her soft stomach and joints had been hit.

Alexander, head _beyond_ pounding, worked to administer as much Medigel as he could manage to his team. He had enough to stop the bleeding in Kairee and Frederico, and managed to set Eleria's leg stiff once the gel hardened. He propped Eleria and Frederico up by Lora and then cradled Kairee in his arms. "H-hey… they're gone. C'mon, wake up. I can feel your pulse," he whispered. She was limp and unconscious, but he could hear soft groans of pain. "Just open your eyes. Say something, please. You're going to be okay, you're stronger than this."

She murmured something under her breath. He could barely make out what she said. He lowered his head closer to her mouth and she repeated herself. "You're not… not well, Alex. Stop… stop pushing yourself too… hard, we need… still need you… stable…"

"**To see such a special organic, caring for another so insignificant. This feeling. Amusement. We have not felt it in so long."**

Alexander looked up to see Harbinger standing before him, assault rifle raised. _"Alex, tell me you have that General dead!"_ he heard John's voice cry into his Comms. Alexander continued to stare at Harbinger. Questions raced in his mind. What did this bastard want? "Special Organic?" What's so amusing about th- wait. Did he just call Kairee insignificant? He gently laid her down and stood up, stepping around her, cracking his knuckles.

"It amuses _me_ that you haven't shot my ass already. And that you gave me time to patch up my friends. What, do you think we're going to die anyways? Are you revelling in the 'futility of my actions' or are you not entirely machine, there?"

"**Your efforts are indeed fruitless. Alexander is your name. Your primitive memory device told us everything about you. You are special. As are the Shepards. We have little interest in merely destroying you now. There is much use for you."**

Alexander could hear a gentle humming in the back of his mind, that seemed to feel like it was rolling over his brain, almost massaging his central nervous system. He cracked a smirk, licking his front teeth indignantly. "You're trying to indoctrinate me."

"**You fight for 'freedom.' True freedom is salvation, salvation is true freedom. Salvation may only come through destruction and evolution, even if forced. Ascendance to perfection. You understand. You want to help us," **Harbinger said, stepping forward. Alexander clenched his fists and stiffened his posture, narrowing his eyes.

"Whoa there, friend, that's making quite a lot of assumptions! I'm afraid I can't help you, because I really _don't_ want to. And I'm sorry, buddy, pal… whatever, but if you take one more step closer to my friends then I'm afraid that I'm going to have to _snap your __**fucking neck.**_" he said, speaking in a saccharine, gentle tone until he issued his threat, his voice instantly dropping to a low, monotone, venom-oozing tone with emphasis on his swear.

Harbinger was unmoved, clearly unafraid of this smartass mortal, but internally somewhat impressed by his bravado nonetheless. He indeed would be a useful proxy in the coming cycle. **"If I must tear you apart, Clarke. I will."**

"Aw, man! You see, you stole my line!" Alexander said, assuming a defensive combat stance, blades shooting out of their bracers. Truth be told, he has _hardly_ in any condition to give this his full power. His headache was developing, becoming worse by the second. Fighting Harbinger's attempt at indoctrination was not helping at all.

"**You are foolish."**

It was then Alexander remembered that Harbinger was the one with the gun. The assault rifle, at that. "So, quick question if it isn't beneath you to answer. But, how many are you possessing right now?"

"**It is not possession. I have merely selected one being to act as a conduit for my influence."**

"This 'platform' in front of me then?"

"**You are not facing my platform. You see to destroy it. This cannot pass. You will succumb to your fate or you will die."**

"Aaahhh… Collector General. So in theory you could be possessing a whole _bunch_ of Collectors. So, what, does the Good General have psychic powers that you're tapping into or…"

"**I will make this prattle cease. Permanently."**

"Is it too late to join?"

"**You made your choice long ago."**

"Here's the different between you and I. At least I'm capable of making choices."

At that point, Harbinger was fed up with Alexander's taunting, to a degree. He lifted his assault rifle and pulled the trigger. A brief spray of bullets hit Alexander's barrier, lowering it by a third of its initial integrity before Alexander had his hand on the underside of the gun, forcing it up to the ceiling and away from his person. He drew his M11 Suppressor and aimed it for Harbinger's head. Suddenly, he felt the resistance on his right hand vanish as Harbinger released his grip on the assault rifle. Striking Alexander thrice in the chest, Harbinger knocked the Suppressor out of his left hand and caught it.

Alexander ducked low, spun, and kicked the pistol out of Harbinger's hand. Upon standing back up he attempted to follow with a left-hook punch to the throat. Grasping a blade made of sharpened chitin, Harbinger stopped the strike, parrying it with his dagger, kicking Alexander in the stomach, then the chest, then following up by slamming his heel down on the back of his head, knocking him down. Alexander was at his mercy for all of three seconds while Harbinger raised his blade and brought it down.

Only to be struck in the torso by Eleria, who had thrown a bolt of kinetic biotic energy. He flew away, further down the hall as Alexander got up, drew his Automattock, and began firing. He succeeded in downing Harbinger's barrier, wounding the Collector in his possession. Harbinger had recovered soon enough to blast Alexander with a Collector warp, beige with a smoky black aura, as he was getting up. Alexander's barriers exploded, pushing him back and onto one knee and casting his rifle away.

"**I will make you feel the pain of loss," **Harbinger boomed, rather ominously.

The threat was not lost on him, and he flinched as he rose back to his feet. Kairee was slowly coming to, struggling to move through her pain, though Lora and Eleria were trying to help as best as they could. "I don't make idle promises, bastard!" Alexander shouted back, biotic charging forward to recover his barrier and take Harbinger down a level in the same move. Harbinger side-stepped the charge and held out a stiff arm, clotheslining Alexander by his stomach. A sharp burst of pain _ripped_ through his abdomen as he felt something warm splatter out of his stomach, sticking to the inside of his armor. He let out an airless gasp and fell to the ground.

Eyes as wide as they could go, he wheezed and tried to turn on his medigel applicators. Harbinger kicked him away before he could and charged a warp over his hand. **"I shall start with the insolent," **he said, moving his hand flat out. The warp exploded in a single direction, spreading out and becoming a shockwave, jet black smoke lining the floor, walls, and ceiling perfectly as an invisible wave of kinetic energy rammed into the five Assassins, causing them to tumble down the hallway. Screams of pain erupted from Eleria and Frederico's lungs as they slammed their leg and arm on the cold, hard metal floor. Alexander, who had been blown out into the swarm chamber, applied his medigel, then spat out a mouthful of blood onto the chitin floor, a strand of sanguine plasma dangling from a bleeding cut on his lower lip.

"**Surrender. Your resistance is the essence of futility."**

"Wh-what a way to rehash an old cliché… I'm impressed," Alexander said, smirking and pulling the strand of bloody spittle from his lip and flicking it away. He got up, back on his feet, but he was hunched over in pain. He figured out what had happened pretty quickly after checking his visor's view of the situation down in his stomach. The shotgun blast he took for Miranda on the Heretic Station had opened back up. The medigel was going to keep him from losing too much blood, but he needed to fight this battle fast if he was going to get his team out of here. "You four. Sound off?"

Eleria, Frederico, Lora, and Kairee all groaned, trying to get back up. Eleria couldn't manage to stand on a broken leg, Frederico was too exhausted to push his one good arm to get himself up off his face. Lora was the only one standing, trying to hold Kairee up as she tried to join in the fight. "I'm… ready when you are."

"Stay down and out of this, all of you," Alexander spat, flicking his wrists again.

"You're going to die if you keep trying to fight him alone!" Lora screamed, all in a single breath. She then wheezed, falling to a knee and needing to take a breather.

"**They are not entirely incorrect. I tire of this. My second body has been terminated by the Shepards. Our project has fallen. My full attention is required. I shall prioritize killing you. No further words."**

* * *

The last weakpoint was shattered. Orange fluids sprayed over the battlefield as the final support broke off. The Human Reaper collapsed, falling into the abyss below, unceremoniously clashing and banging against the walls and supports of the cavern.

Wrex smashed a Collector's head under his foot, then spat into the abyss, rolling his head and neck. "I think we're done here."

John spun on his heels, lifting his fingers to his helmet. "Shepard to Ground Team! Status report!"

From the other end of the line, back where the Shepards and their fireteam had left from, Thane picked up the call. "This is Thane. We _are_ holding but they keep coming," he said. "A quick exit is preferable."

"Alright, head for the Normandy!" John replied.

Jane attempted to call the Assassins' team. "Alex, Kairee, Eleria – somebody respond, what is your status?"

There was only static, and then a garbled response. _"KSszshhszAlexkss Harbingjjkkjjjjssshzzz. It's winning, we're wounded. Frederico is_-_kkssszzzzhhhhzzz…"_ The light _thump_ of the sound driver shutting off followed after, and the signal was dropped.

"That sounded like Kairee," Jane said, slowly lowering her shaking hand.

"They did what they could," Ashley said, expression dropping to a remorseful frown. "Let's blow this hellhole to pieces," she added.

"Joker, prep the Engines. I'm about to overload this place and blow it _SKY HIGH._" John knelt over a control console embedded in the platform. He pulled it up out of the ground and opened his Omnitool.

"Roger that, Commander," Joker said from aboard the _Normandy_. There was a brief pause. "Euh, I've got an incoming message from the Illusive Man. EDI's patching it through."

As soon as he said that, Garrus opened his own Omnitool and held it up, displaying the Illusive Man's holographic image. He spoke. "Shepard. You've done the impossible."

"I was part of a _team_," John replied, Omnitool deactivated as he pressed holographic buttons on the control panel's interface. "Some of them gave their lives for this mission," he added, sneering at the Illusive Man. Indeed, he assumed the worst for the Assassins. Still, part of him wanted to believe they'd pull through somehow.

"I know. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten. You did what you had to do, and you acquired the Collector Base," the Illusive Man continued. "I'm looking at the schematics that EDI uploaded. There's another way."

"Ahaha, excuse me?" Ashley said, unamused as she stepped into view, arms crossed.

"Oh. Miss Williams. If my hunch is correct Mr. Alenko is there too? Nevermind that. The Assassins are in possession of a device, an Apple of Eden. You may have learned for yourselves or you might have not. Our scientists proposed that the Reapers, and the Collectors by extension, would show adverse effects to these bits of First Civilization technology. If you were to recover the Apple of Eden you discovered on Sur'Kesh and plant it into the Collector Base, it would send a pulse that would wipe out the remaining Collectors," the Illusive Man explained, "but leave the machinery and technology _intact_!" he continued, clenching his fist dramatically. "This is our _chance_, Shepard. They were building a Reaper. That knowledge, that framework, it could save us."

John stood up and turned to face the Illusive Man, and Tali went in to continue what he was doing. "It liquefied people. Turned them into something _horrible._ We have to destroy the base," he replied.

"Don't be so shortsighted," the Illusive Man said, shaking a finger. "Our best chance against the Reapers is to turn their own resources against them. They were working directly with the Collectors – who KNOWS what information is buried there! This base is a GIFT, we can't just DESTROY it!"

"You're completely ruthless," Kaidan snickered from behind the Illusive Man. "We're handing you a loaded gun here. Next thing we know, you're going to grow your _own_ Reaper with this base's tech."

"My goal is to save Humanity from the Reapers. At any cost! I've never hidden that from you! Imagine how many lives could be saved, if we keep this base intact, and use its knowledge to thwart the Reapers! Imagine the lives that will be lost if we _don't_."

"No matter what kind of technology we might find. It's not worth it!" John cried, swiping a hand through the air, shaking his head sternly.

"Shepard. You died fighting for what you believed in. I brought you back so you could _keep_ fighting! Some would say what we did to you was going too far. But _look_ what you've accomplished! I didn't discard you because I saw your value. Don't be so quick to discard this facility!"

Tali clenched both fists and stopped working on the console. _"You leave his death out of this! What is he to you but something valuable? A tool to reach the ends the means cannot justify! He is invaluable to me because he is priceless! I won't disregard the fact that Cerberus brought him back to me, but I will not stand idly by and let you talk to him like that, Bosh'tet!"_ she cried, rising from the console and jabbing a finger in the Illusive Man's direction.

"We'll fight and win without this base. I won't let _fear_ compromise who I am," John said, heading back to the console and finishing the command to overload the base.

"Shepard, think about what's at stake, think about everything Cerberus has done for you! You!" And cut.

_"Sorry, looks like we lost the connection," _Joker said. Copious amounts of snickering could be heard from the other end of the line.

_**"That was juvenile, Jeff."**_

_"Aaw, but you missed the good old days!"_

Everyone present in that room began to laugh for a brief moment. John recollected his senses and held his hand up. "Hand me the device… ah, let's bomb this hellhole into the next dimension."

Garrus withdrew a circular, glowing disc and handed it to John, who stuck it into the console and banged his fist on the top of it. "Alright everyone, let's move. We got ten minutes before the reactor blows and this whole station comes apart. Provided the General is dead, that device should overload the systems," Jane announced.

Without any warning, the entire chamber began to quake. Then all was quiet. "Uhh… are you sure about ten minutes, Jane?" Wrex said, stumbling back and regaining his balance as the quaking stopped.

Before anyone could respond, a gigantic metal arm shot up from the abyss, clutching onto a platform, pulling up the Abomination of all abominations; the Human Reaper.

John chuckled. Did you really think he'd leave the Cain on the _Normandy_ for something like this? "I'd been saving this for Praetorians, but those ugly things never seemed to show up," he said, aiming the portable superweapon for the Human Reaper's chest. Platforms of Collectors began flying in, one possessed by Harbinger.

"Here we go again," Kaidan muttered, checking the clip on his pistol.

As the Collectors poured onto the mass of platforms, charging against the bulletstorm, John began warming up the Cain. No sooner than he said "hasta la vista, baby," he fired off a shot, drilling the Human Reaper in the chest. A mighty explosion rocked the chamber, a mushroom cloud forming around the Reaper's head. Its chest had been blown open, though all it appeared to be was _furious_. Disregarding its Collector creators, it slammed its fist down on a platform to the far right, flipping it through the air like a metal coin. It landed on its side, breaking the second last platform to the left off of the chain, destabilizing other platforms. Everything creaked then tilted sharply to the left. Collectors spilled off of the platforms as though they were leaping lemmings, while the Shepards' fireteam scrambled for something to stand on or hold onto.

"Ah crap! Commander, do you have another shot in that thing?!" Garrus yelled, catching Jane's waist and pulling her close, standing on the side of a platform's wall.

"I packed two in total! I need this thing to cool down!" John shouted back, firing a warp at the Reaper's third eye, which was growing out of the side of the second. It exploded, blacking out the light in the Reaper's third eye, causing it to rear in "pain," flailing its arms around the cavern, shattering the walls and cracking the ceiling.

Aiming for the cavity in its chest, Kaidan, Tali, and Jane combined overloads, shorting out critical systems that weren't damaged by the Cain. Electrical energy coursed through the metal endoskeleton and exoskeleton, reaching the head. It was armored, therefore the overloads were not too effective, but it continued to distract the Reaper from its immediate threats.

Five more seconds, the Cain needed to cool. The Reaper opened its mouth, and fired a blast of energy from its cannon, tearing off another platform. Reinforcements arrived, with Collectors flying in on synthetic wings, landing on the few stable platforms present. Another platform with two scions on board connected with a damaged platform that carried Ashley, Kaidan, and Tali.

Dropping into cover, Tali called up her combat drone once again, sending it after the scions to distract them. Kaidan launched a warp over cover, hitting a scion's armor, destabilizing it. "Everyone focus on the scions, let John take out the Reaper!" Ashley cried.

From a platform dangling by a thread, John aimed the Cain at the Reaper's erratically moving head. "I can't get a clean shot off!" he shouted, aiming back and forth at the Reaper.

"Toss that thing to me! I can get close enough to shoot at its cannon!" said Wrex, who was currently busy fending off Collector drones with his shotgun and pistol. He was taking heavy fire, but he wasn't going down without the fight of his long life. Front-kicking a Collector from his platform, he cried out in delight, "Ha! Had I known this was going to be this exciting I'd have signed up long before I did!"

Jane left Garrus's secure embrace to scale the platform, coming up to the edge. Bullets flew all around her but could never seem to hit her. She reached down and took Garrus's hand, helping him climb up, moving him to better cover with Kaidan, Tali, and Ashley. John himself had to scale the platform as well, but when he got up to the edge and stood to face Wrex, a chitonous blade zipped across his throat, breaking his barrier and cutting into his armor. He stumbled, but reclaimed his balance, parrying Harbinger's next strike with the Cain. He clashed with Harbinger's dagger, then pushed it to the left, causing Harbinger to stagger in that direction, falling off the platform.

Watching Harbinger plummet down the cavern gave John the feeling that if they had been on more stable ground, that fight would have lasted much, much longer. Turning to Wrex, his whistled as loudly as he could manage. With a forceful grunt, John shoved the Cain through the air, hitting it with a shockwave for distance's sake. Wrex opened his arms to catch the unwieldy weapon, proceeding to slam it into a husk's face before aiming at firing at the Reaper's head.

* * *

The situation was only slightly improving. The medigel was holding steady for four out of five of the Assassins, and Lora was back in good condition, her armor sealed up. Frederico could now stand, and Kairee was steadily regaining her own stability on her feet. All four Assassins stood back as Alexander and Harbinger dueled, unable to maintain control over any weapons that were strewn about. They were far from evenly matched – Harbinger was wiping the floor with Alexander's blood, almost literally. But the fight had devolved into something more of a game of Hot Potato with the various pistols and rifles laying about the hallway. The Collector General, untouched so far, was frantically toiling over its console, trying to check the status of the Human Reaper.

**"This hurts you," **Harbinger said, striking Alexander on the inner thigh with his foot, knocking him down.

Alexander, letting out a soundless scream of pain, fell to a knee and just barely caught Harbinger's wrists as he attempted to impale the Assassin's face with his chitinous blades. Alexander only managed to push him back with another shockwave, throwing him down the hallway toward the other Assassins. Just as he did this, his head felt like someone had driven a chisel into the back of his skull.

_"Alex, Kairee, Eleria – somebody respond, what's your status?" _the voice of Jane called from the Comms.

As Alexander and Harbinger continued to fight, Kairee began to crawl forward, reaching for her Mantis sniper rifle that was blown away from her when Harbinger shockwaved the whole hall. "Alexander is fighting... he's fighting Harbinger. It's winning, we're wounded. Frederico is…" she said, out loud, pulling the bolt on her sniper rifle back.

Her voice and the loud _click_ bought Harbinger's attention, especially after a bullet flew under his arm and burrowed through the Collector General's armor, into its head. It let out an earpiercing shriek and toppled over, struggling to get up. Harbinger pushed Alexander down with a biotic throw and charged towards the Assassins remaining.

Frederico pulled an SMG on him, only for Harbinger to see, and respond by throwing a warp, which exploded on Frederico. His barrier shattered and he tumbled back, hitting his head on the floor, putting him out cold. Kairee attempted to stab him in the throat, and Lora attempted to double-team by stabbing his kneecap. Harbinger gripped Kairee's wrist as hard as he could, then punted the Volus away towards Frederico. He picked up Eleria and callously tossed her aside with his biotics.

Just as Alexander stood back up, watching Kairee wrestle with Harbinger. Behind him, he heard an alarm sound. High pitched, and dreadfully ominous. The Collector General was standing back up, and had an appendage over its console. _The Shepards did it. The device is in the reactor,_ Alex thought. From the looks of the situation, however, he realized with nothing but sheer horror.

It was either Kairee, himself, or the mission.

"Alex! Stop the General!" Kairee screamed. Just then, Harbinger had succeeded in prying her helmet off of her, kneeing her hard in the stomach and knocking the wind out of her.

**"Spirit of Humanity. A hint of Turian tenacity. If I cannot convince or indoctrinate, I will use you to build our larva," **Harbinger said, grasping Kairee by the throat.

Alexander decided _himself_ was the best course of action. Snarling at Harbinger, he withdrew the Apple of Eden once again. Kairee could be heard croaking in displeasure, seeing the glow of the Apple. "A-Al…ex, n-no."

"You already know how I feel. Bad timing, and sleep deprivation induced angst and edginess aside… I seriously would rather you live on if this kills me." He pumped his fist, roaring in pain as the Apple's power ignited. "Harbinger… _go back to Hell."_

There was a brilliant flash of light, and then for Alexander, darkness.

* * *

He was still standing. He could feel his feet planted firmly on the ground. Nobody was saying anything. He couldn't hear anything but a gentle, almost angelic humming all around. His eyes were squeezed shut… was he dead? Near death? In a coma? No, no, he felt too real for that, but not real _enough_ to be in the afterlife, if that made sense. He sighed and let the Apple drop. But instead of hearing it _clank_ against the metal floor of the Collector Base, he discovered that it had vanished from his possession. He slowly opened his eyes and was assaulted by bright… silver light. As soon as they adjusted, he discovered that he was no longer in the Collector Base at all, but in a void.

It wasn't the afterlife. It looked too similar to the Animus's memory corridor to be the afterlife, unless God was a cruel comedian to new arrivals. Something about that theory seemed off, as well. He stepped forward, still looking far to his right. Golden polygons and prisms zipped around erratically, teleporting through the air like glitches in a computer's screen. He mumbled to himself about how he still felt pain throughout his whole body. That would have stopped if he were dead.

_"I look upon what my body has done over the countless millenia. I see what I am doing now from an outside perspective for the first time in this life and my previous life. I am truly horrified by the things the Reapers have forced us to do."_

Alexander's eyes bulged, and he spun around, baring his hidden blades. He turned to face the source of the unknown voice and was greeted by a peculiar being. "And what are you supposed to be? Have I finally snapped?"

_"The world has frozen for us. Turn your head around and you'll see 'me' trying to slam the other primitive into the wall headfirst."_

There was an odd tone accompanying the word 'me,' one that said that this being's statement was sardonic in nature. Alexander hesitantly looked around, and lightly gasped when he saw Kairee being throttled and forced toward the wall. Her unarmored head had not yet made any contact, but she was supposedly in motion. "Why is everything frozen, what the hell is going on, why didn't the Apple work this time?" Alexander 'asked,' more like demanded.

_"Ah. The day a primitive could string together enough words to interrogate one of us. I suppose now that one fellow owes me five hundred units… what was his name… Jaffa? Java? Javi… No, Darvik?" _the being chuckled, a bit darkly for Alexander's preference. _"Well I suppose you deserve answers I mean… you've made it this far."_

"What, are you Harbinger?" Alexander said, disregarding the earlier, opening spiel about the Reapers.

The being groaned and slapped a three-fingered hand to its pale blue-grey face, lightly massaging the gunmetal grey, layered carapace covering its head. It looked like a Collector's cranial carapace, just not as pronounced, and lacking the lengthy growth trailing down its back towards the floor. It blinked its four yellow eyes, directing its pupils… wait, this thing had two pupils that were merged like venn diagrams in each eyeball. _"Fuc- NO. I am NOT a damned Reaper! Anything BUT a Reaper! Currently a Reaper's pawn and even that is shaky at best, but NOT and NEVER a Reaper!" _it boomed, gesticulating angrily, waving its hands wildly, chopping the air. It seemed deeply insulted.

Alexander kept his blades out, narrowing his eyes. "Then explain, and make it convincing. Are you just an illusion?" It didn't look like an illusion. Covering the being from the bottom of the neck down was smooth, streamlined but archaic looking armor. It was jet black, with bands of golden characters running along the layered edges of the armor. It looked like nothing Alexander had ever seen before. To a degree, it resembled Collector armor, in terms of how it was layered and the position of the many grooves and edges. In addition it didn't look… corporate. He knew that didn't make sense, but it was incredibly aesthetic rather than simple. It didn't have that "this is totally mass produced in an armor cookie-cutter" look to it. That armor seemed so much more… spiritual? Symbolic? Elite? Fantastical? Hand-crafted? _What is this thing,_ Alexander asked himself. He had a thought, an inkling of realization in the back of his mind, but he shoved it away, deeming it impossible.

The being took out from behind its back the Apple of Eden, still glowing brightly, like a miniature sun in the being's palm. _"This is Isuan technology. I am impressed. How did you come to acquire this?"_ the being asked, popping the Apple into the air and catching it, studying it with squinted eyes.

"You know about the First Civilization? How old are you?" asked Alexander, suddenly a bit less defensive around the mysterious being.

It smiled, sighing thoughtfully and letting its arm drop, holding onto the Apple. _"Over 50,000 years old. I cannot remember my date of birth, but I am aware that a new Cycle has come. Tsk, they're late. 185 years late," it said, scratching its chin. "You have delayed them for that long?"_

"I wouldn't know. I do know that we delayed them for two years… two years ago," Alexander replied, standing straight and dropping his guard. He kept his eye on this being, however, and was prepared to put his guard back up if he had to. Then it dawned on him. **50,000 years old.** "Oh my God… you're…"

The being simpered and nodded. _"Prothean. I remember that. I will admit, I have never felt stranger in my life. My name, my rank, my interests before this, even my sex. It's gone. I retain semantic memories, and very few episodic memories about life before the Reapers."_

Alexander stumbled back, holding a hand to his head, uttering a breathy laugh of mixed relief and terror. "Aha… I've done it, I've finally lost my mind… and if I haven't, then… that, that is one _hell_ of a revelation. I knew the Collectors were once Protheans, but…"

_"Our true selves are irrecognizable. We bear merely small similarities to the Collectors as we were the base, and the Collectors bear only a hint of resemblance to us the Protheans. Especially the General back there," _the Prothean said, jabbing a thumb over their shoulder, in the direction of the Collector General, who was frozen over a console that was not there. _"I have sadly forgotten what they did to them to create such a creature."_

Alexander took a better look around. The only beings present in this Apple-created void were him, the Prothean, the Prothean's Collector body possessed by Harbinger, Kairee, and the Collector General. "Well, since you know far, _far_ more than I could ever know about the Collectors… do you have time to tell me what the _hell_ is going on?"

_"Words are cheap," _the Prothean said, stepping forwards, to Alexander. Without warning, they pressed a hand to Alexander's forehead. It was coming back to them. They needed to communicate their memories before it was too late and the Apple's effects faded. _"Good… so it still works."_

* * *

_**Haze in the air. Smog of War. It is twilight on a jungle planet. A Prothean city in ruins. Reapers… no, they can only be described as **_**Titans**_** they are so large. Some as big as Sovereign. The deep droning echoes through the valley. Indoctrination signals being sent out under the audible, mechanical roars.**_

_** It fast-forwards. A lone Prothean attempts to find refuge in the ruins, pursued by husks. No, not human husks… the word is surfacing… 'Ditakur.' Their mind is open, too open. Made desperate by a deep desire for survival to fight another day. Evacuation was impossible. The colony had been lost. One droning call. A headache forms. Three shots from a particle rifle, two Ditakur husks are dead. Another droning call. They can hear a voice on the other end of the drone. "Survive, put down your weapon, become part of your people again." They ignore it, screaming in anguish, refusing to be taken. Three Ditakur husks die as cover is found inside a cave of rubble. They hide under a slab of metal, and hold their breath. Their bleeding is profuse. They're growing drowsy. A third droning call. They smile and drop their rifle. Everything grows hazy. Not with coming death, but with a lack of recollection of what comes next.**_

_** Blackout.**_

_** They "awaken" on board a vessel. Protheans surround them. Muffled voices echo, unable to be fully evoked in the memory of them. They are standing up, fully armored, uninjured. They are watching the helmsman pilot the ship. A voice. "Begin the purge."**_

_** They did not act alone. Shots ring out, crimson paints the floors and walls.**_

_** It flashes forward again. Pain, agony. Parts being removed, and pieces being shoved into place. No anesthesia. They shriek in agony but they smile all the while. They do it for their Gods.**_

_** They are a Collector. No longer an individual but a small part of a large whole. It is darkness that grows darker and somehow, darker still, until it is as dark as it can grow. But it is a beautiful, holy darkness. No hunger, no thirst, no lust, no more pain. They are never alone. They can hear the voice of countless Reapers. The collective consciousness of hundreds, maybe thousands of cycles and the races converted into Reapers. Arthenn. Zeioph. Thoi'han. Inusannon. There is a race missing. The Protheans are missing out on such a wonderful experience!**_

_** There is nothing but a shred of "Them" left. The Cycle is over. A new directive has been issued; await the advent of the next Cycle's crop. Data available… Asari, Turians, Salarians, Hanar…**_

_**Humans**__**. The most intriguing ones.**_

_** The Isu. Contemporaries of the Inusannon. Small, and isolated. The Reapers recall an encounter with the Isu… the only race they ever failed to harvest. The Isu controlled areas of the southern half of the galaxy. Earth, their capital. Palaven. Sur'Kesh. Thessia. Kahje. City-States of Isu civilization. A derogatory name given to them by the Inusannon. A badge of honor for the Isu.**_

_** They abandoned their research outposts when the Reapers came in for harvest. Harbinger's memories were imparted to the Collectors as a warning. The Isu perished about 21,000 years after the Cycle concluded. Their own star fried them, and they went extinct within hundreds of years after the thread of survival joined the rest in death.**_

_** The Pieces of Eden. Developed on Earth, in the city of Eden. Devices capable of manipulating the entire fabric of everything. Devices made to enslave. Primitive humans, especially, were subject to this.**_

_** Everything fell apart. The Pieces left to rot. Never truly rotted, did they? The Protheans found them, cast them aside and deemed them "horrid." They could not use them themselves.**_

_** The Pieces of Eden. That was the Isu contribution to the solution. They, the Collector, was running out of memories. What was the solution? All they know is that the Pieces pushed the Reapers away. Disrupted the perfected order.**_

_** Freed a portion of their mind, just now.**_

* * *

_**They felt retaliation. A push-back on their psychometric communication.**_

_** They saw something new, something that wasn't their own.**_

_** They saw Earth. Someplace cold. Harsh. An unforgivable landscape. They heard crying, the screams of an infant newly born. No doctors, no professionals of any nature. Peasants in a shack by a fireplace, shouting for joy in a language that came to Them as "Russian."**_

_** The mother perished shortly after. Years go by. A pubescant boy runs through the streets of his home village, pursued by authority figures with maces and swords. He runs far faster than them, and is far more agile. He returns home, having lost the authorities without his face being seen and memorized. He dumps a bag of bread on a table, and his father, brother, and sister partake in a mediocre meal that keeps them alive another day.**_

_** It is years later. The boy, now a young man, resents those who rule him. They the Collector tilt their heads, finding rebellion to be a curious futility after so long. The boy desires freedom. He wants to learn, he wants to earn things for himself rather than steal. The ruler of their village is… displeased. It's a blur, but it felt violent.**_

_** He is cast out. Shipped away to a shining city in a warm climate. Two seas on either side. One capital, halved between two continents. He speaks not the local language… but there is Isu within him.**_

_** An older man with greying hair in blue-grey, furry robes. While he is armed to the teeth he does not appear threatening at all. Too old to move quick, he surely carries weapons he cannot wield to deter the stupid. The young Russian slips a pouch from the older man's robes.**_

_** A pursuit. It is practically city-wide before the younger man surrenders the coin pouch, kneeling to the older man for punishment. He is winded, and has been outran by a man nearly thrice his age. He goes unpunished. Foolish. **_

_**An organization that educates him, and converts him from a thief into a warrior of the shadows. They say they fight for something… freedom?**_

_** Months, then a full year zooms by. Isu technology, conspiracies between those who share the Reaper ideology of order through force, and those who embrace a flawed mankind, desiring nothing more than freedom and knowledge. It ends abruptly.**_

_** The Apple is deactivating. There is still a light. They try to reach for it… they find a name.**_

* * *

Alexander staggered back, holding his head and gagging, unable to believe that he just saw all of that. The Prothean too staggered away from him. _"You are Isu. Or at least some of you!"_

"Long story… I'm not doing that again, how about we do things the primitive way next time you need exposition?" Alexander said, gasping for air.

Entirely exasperated by the experience, the Prothean sat down on the silvery floor of the void. _"Animus, you call it. The Memory Machine we raided when you were connected to the Cruiser. You are an intriguing being. Two lives, two minds, in one body. You have much Isu in your DNA. It is unique to me. We have Quad-Strands. They, they have tri-helixes. It's unmistakable. I would say 4% or more. 10% maximum, but I must be wrong…"_

Alexander held his head in his hands, sighing deeply. "I'll be honest… all I wanted was to come here, blow this place to hell, and leave. Preferably alive," he said. "So… let me summarize. The Isu are 'those who came before.' But now, they are REALLY 'those who came before' even the PROTHEANS. And they were enemies of the Inusannon. So they refused to help with the Reaper Invasion until the Reapers turned on the _Isu_, so the Isu used their Pieces of Eden to repel the Reapers and survive the Cycle, only to be evaporated during the Toba catastrophy several thousand years after the Cycle ended? And before that they had research facilities housing Pieces of Eden on other homeworlds? Made humans to provide free labor when the population dropped after the Cycle?"

_"I am unsure why you feel the need to summarize to begin with. Heh… non-Protheans and their verbal communications…"_

The Apple's glow began to fade. Alexander had a spark of realization and flicked his wrist, a single blade sliding out. He walked over to the Collector General. "You mind?" he asked, placing a hand on the General's head.

_"Their time is up. There is no return for them."_

A blade punctured the crown of the General's head. No blood emerged whatsoever – time was no longer relevant in this void. Alexander walked around and looked for his dropped items. He found that his guns went with him into the Edenian void. He picked up his Automattock and Suppressor pistol and holstered them both. He glanced at the Collector Harbinger was possessing. "Is this you?" he inquired, looking into the Collector's burning eyes.

_"It was," _the Prothean said, shaking their head. Their brows lifted. They opened their mouth to speak, _"And perhaps it can be again."_

Alexander gave the Prothean an amused smirk and said, "What, do you expect me to pull you out of this void when that Apple goes dark?"

_"No. That Apple. It has awoken a very small part of me. My name is Tulay. That is all I can recall. It sounds… feminine, I suppose?"_

Alexander narrowed his eyes, trying to focus on the Prothean's appearance. Their face seemed smooth, narrow, and gentle enough to pass as feminine in contemporary society. Their voice was low, but higher than a man's voice. A contralto voice perhaps? "I suppose you already know my name, but I also suppose it's… nice to meet you?" he said, still very much confused by the recent series of events.

_"The feeling is mutual. You're the first person I've spoken to in 50,000 years. Do me a favor, Alexander."_

"Elaborate?"

_"With the General's death combined with the influence of the Apple… I can no longer feel Harbinger, or any other Reaper. It was through the General that Harbinger could possess us. In theory, every single Collector in this station may have just defected to your side. 'Woke up,' if you would. I know it does not make much sense to you, but I am asking you to please trust me. When that Apple kicks us out of this void… if I hurt the Turian, kill me. 'Snap my neck,' as you said you would, and free me from my servitude once and for all. If I show mercy, I ask you show me mercy as well."_

Alexander immediately went back on his guard, taking a cautious step back. "Hold on, 'if?' Are you saying there's a chance that you are still under Harbinger's control?"

_"When the General dies, Harbinger no longer has a direct link to every Collector at once. It is possible he could possess just one Collector and try in vain to reestablish connection with us all. But I doubt he is that dedicated a master. More likely my body will wake up and regain control of itself. If that happens, spare me. The laboratories where our cybernetic 'adjustments' were forced upon us are still operational. It's… a game of chance, but I may be able to reverse some of the damage done to my organic body and rejoin you later."_

"Good luck, you have ten minutes. Maybe twenty," said Alexander, shrugging his shoulders.

_"Then do not stand in my way. The way I see it, if I fail, then at least I get to die a free Prothean. If I survive, then I get to live to avenge my people."_

Alexander took a moment's consideration, looking over his shoulder at Harbinger and Kairee. "Toss me the Apple. Let's end this," he said. As soon as the Apple hit his hands, the void disappeared.

* * *

Everything happened at once. The Collector General shrieked again, but the scream died on its "lips" so to speak. It fell over, beginning to die. The Automattock and the Suppressor were still holstered in Alexander's armor. The alarm that sounded off earlier continued to blare down the hallway. Over the console, the image of Harbinger himself, in Reaper Form, appeared. To Alexander, it greatly resembled a gigantic cuttlefish. He took his attention off of Harbinger the Reaper to watch Harbinger the Collector.

Sure enough, the Collector elite had picked Kairee up by her throat and had gone to slam her into the wall. Suddenly it froze, the cracks in its body sealing back up, the fire in its eyes fading away into a gentle glow. Kairee was mere centimeters away from the wall, eyes glued to the Collector, mouth open as she gasped for air. Her eyes then strayed to Alexander, and promptly bugged out when she saw everything that had happened in a literal instant. He was somehow armed again, the General was dying, and he was in a completely different pose and position in the hallway, all in the span of a millisecond. And she didn't blink.

**"You have failed. We must find another way," **Harbinger boomed, before disappearing from the terminal. **"Releasing control…"** The gentle glow of the Collector General and Elite's eyes faded away, and the elite began to move its head to look around inquisitively. Tilting its head quizzically at Kairee, it released her and stepped away, looking over at Alexander.

Alexander, all the curious, stepped over to the General, crouching down over it. It squirmed around, still alive, and tried to stand up, looking in all directions trying to find someone to help it. _"You were just another pawn, weren't you?" _Alexander said, suddenly feeling something he never thought he'd feel for a Collector: concern.

To his surprise, what escaped his mouth wasn't English, or Russian, or the accidental broken Turkish. He recognized it as **Prothean**. _(Ah, shit, if it isn't another language I don't want to speak. Hmph, I guess I've made the transition to full Gary Stu, now haven't I? Damn this psychic nonsense), _he mused, shaking his head and wiping his face with his hands.

The Collector General painfully nodded, trying to understand what was happening to it, and what it even was. It wasn't a Prothean anymore, and it wasn't even of the Prothean body type. At this point, Kairee and the other Assassins had their eyes on this brief exchange. Some, like Frederico and Eleria, were left slackjawed by what they saw. Others, like Kairee and Lora, wanted to just shoot the General and be done with it. Alexander continued talking. _"I never imagined that's what you were; people trapped underneath indoctrination, taking a back-seat position while you watched yourselves turn into this. I always thought everything was gone, y'know? You were just automatons."_ The General looked away from Alexander and let its head rest on the metal ground. Alexander sighed again and laid a hand on the General's head. _"I'm sorry it had to be this way. I couldn't take the chance, and I had a mission to accomplish. I'll be sure to tell everyone the whole truth about you. All of you."_

Suddenly, the General looked back at Alexander and slowly reached out for him, pressing the tip of its scythe-like appendage to his forehead. Alexander closed his eyes, expecting to see something. Three seconds passed before he realized that nothing was coming. _"I'm sorry. I guess without… hands, or the Apple amplifying whatever it is you used to be able to do…"_

The General took its shivering appendage off of Alex's forehead and gradually lowered it down to the floor. It had been denied its last words.

Alexander cocked his head to the side, regarding the General with… pity, remorse, and just a bit of empathy. As the General laid his head down, he looked objectively heartbroken and confused, letting out a soft trill before going limp. Alexander grumbled a short "Requiescat in Pace," and slid his hands over the General's eyes, "closing" the nonexistant eyelids. _You died free. Rest in Peace._

It was then that he rose, wincing from the pain in his gut. He brought a hand to his visor frame and spoke into the Comms. "This is Alexander to _Normandy _Teams, report. How much time do we have before this station goes straight to hell?"

There was a pause. _"Oh thank Jesus you're alive! What the hell did you do? Some of the Collectors just dropped their weapons, but now there's a whole horde of Collector Guardians who are all possessed!" _Ashley Williams explained.

_"It looks like you only have a few minutes. I suggest you hustle, Assassins!" _John shouted through the Comms.

Alexander looked to his right, down the hallway at the Collector elite, nodding knowingly to it. "Let this one pass. We'll be seeing them again," he ordered. As soon as he said this, the Collector broke into a sprint, out of the hallway, swiping Frederico's SMG off the ground along with a thermal clip, much to the Assassin's chagrin.

Alexander ran over to Kairee and picked her up, bridal style. "We're getting out of here, I'll explain _everything_ at the debrief," he said, jogging out of the hall to collect the other Assassins.

"Sir, leave me behind. Get Frederico and Lora out of here, I can't walk on a shattered leg," Eleria said, cringing in pain, tears coming to her eyes.

"No," Frederico spat. "Lora, Alex, help me up. Eleria, do you remember the three-legged teamwork exercise back in the Bureau?" he said.

Eleria attempted to recall the events. She was paired with Frederico and their legs were tied together, forcing them to run in synch to avoid tripping and possibly breaking their noses. "How is that relevant?" Alexander asked, squinting his eyes at Frederico in disbelief.

Lora gasped in surprised delight. Maybe Frederico _was_ good for some great ideas. "That's a perfect plan. _**~Hhkkt~**_, Fred's left arm is shot. Eleria's right leg is broken. _**~Hhkkt~**_. So Frederico will be Eleria's _**~Hhkkt~ **_right leg and Eleria will be his left arm!" she elucidated, making curious gesticulations with her hands as she pointed to Frederico, then Eleria, then to their damaged limbs, and their undamaged limbs.

Kairee nodded weakly. "Th-that sounds sensible… let's go?"

Alexander opened his mouth to say something. He simply gave the three Veterans a look of high expectation. Without words he seemed to say _don't let us down, do your best._ His irises became golden, and he took off with Kairee in his arms, over the bridge, backtracking to the _Normandy_ as quickly as humanly possible.

Lora pulled Frederico to his knees and he was able to stand alone. With his good arm, he reached for Eleria's hand and yanked her up off the ground, throwing his bad arm around her shoulder, shouting when he felt the inevitable pain that came from that action. Eleria hissed through her own torment, her right thigh pressed to Frederico's left thigh. They hobbled forward, eventually transitioning to a light jog, moving their legs in synch to simulate running. Lora followed behind, secretly proud of Frederico for saving the day.

The only thing in their way now was the eight minute timer.

* * *

The Human Reaper, face blown open, let out a sky-sundering screech before collapsing forward, slamming chest-first into the chain of platforms. All hell broke loose in that moment. Any remaining Collectors perished in the chaos, falling to their demise in the pits below. A platform tilted and fell away partially, knocking Tali, Ashley, Kaidan, and Garrus off balance. They each cried out as they began to slide down the platform toward the abyss. Without thinking, John and Jane threw themselves down the platform, sliding on their bellies with arms outstretched, grasping the hands of their companions. The Human Reaper slipped off of the platform chain and into the abyss, illuminating it with the flames that now coated the metal exoskeleton.

The twin Shepards yelped in fear of what may happen next, as the top halves of their torsos passed over the edge. Suddenly they all stopped. Looking up, they saw the face of Urdnot Wrex, with an expression of sheer determination. The Krogan Warlord pulled them up as far as he could before the Reaper exploded. A kinetic shockwave blew a metal support frame up into the bottom of the platforms, throwing it back the other way. They rolled over down the inverted slope, only stopping near the edge due to being docked with another horizontal platform. Rising to their feet, they looked on as a spiraling platform careened into their platform, and everything went dark.

…

…

John could feel nothing but heavy metal weighing him down. He managed to get to his knees, and his cybernetics kicked in. Alongside him he could see Wrex's krogan strength saving his life as well. The two warriors tossed the rubble aside with a strained grunt, directing their attention to their friends. John naturally went for Tali, while Wrex pulled Jane out from under a sheet of metal, tossing it into the abyss. Tali was breathing, and she wordlessly signaled her survival to John, who picked her up, set her on her feet, then rushed over to Ashley, repeating the process. Jane rushed over to Garrus while Wrex recovered Kaidan from under a cross beam.

Everyone was okay, but they'd be feeling this in the morning. _"Do you copy?!" _Joker's voice cried over Comms. _"C'mon Shepard don't leave me hanging, do you copy?!"_

"I'm here, Joker!" replied John, an hand to the side of his helmet as he gazed out at the galactic core. "Did the ground team make it?"

_"Everyone is alive and onboard, we're just waiting for you!"_ The moment this was said, clouds of Seeker Swarms appeared, followed by a squad of four possessed Collectors. **"Human. You have changed nothing,"** Harbinger said, his voice thundering throughout the base. John and his team broke into a full retreat, only turning around to shoot at the possessed Collectors. As they ran, they encountered groups of Collectors without any glow at all. Most peculiar, was that whenever the unpossessed Collector groups saw the Commanders and their comrades, they dropped their weapons and continued running. The Shepards and company continued their retreat, putting away their weapons and resorting to freerunning.

**"Your species has the attention of those infinitely your greater. That which you know as Reapers are your salvation though destruction.**

Suddenly, another channel rejoined the Comms network. _"This is Alexander to _Normandy_ Teams, report. How much time do we have before this station goes straight to hell?" _Alexander's voice asked.

Ashley laughed out loud, looking positively, pleasantly shocked. "Oh thank Jesus you're alive! What the hell did you do? Some of the Collectors just dropped their weapons, but now there's a whole horde of Collector Guardians who are all possessed!"

John, who did nothing but run for the _Normandy_, had this in reply. "It looks like you only have a few minutes, you need to hustle, Assassins!"

…

…

_Seven minutes._ They had dodged Collector fire long enough, but they were still far from the _Normandy_. They could not afford to turn around and fight back, despite the damage their shields and barriers were taking. They turned a sharp right corner as John spun in a 360, throwing a shockwave down to push the Collectors back.

_Seven minutes._ The Assassins were down the spiral ramp, running through the winding halls once again, following in Alexander's footsteps. Collectors harrowed their escape. Frederico and Lora used their sidearms and biotics to make way for their escape.

_Seven minutes_. The Collector Elite was strapped into an automated operating table, with systems set to their demand. The first mechanical arms and scalpels burrowed into their chitin. They remained as still as possible, only craning their head to the left to see a tank of organic compounds sitting above the table. Reaper preservatives lasted forever, they mused, looking straight up once again.

_Six minutes_. The Shepards' hopes were dwindling as they kept finding themselves cut off by more Collectors, plus a praetorian, which finally decided to join the fray. Bright blue lasers cut across the battlefield and hordes of husks piled over each other trying to sprint towards the organics that threatened the station. To their dismay, Kaidan tripped over an unexpected ledge of chitin, knocking Tali down with him. Turning with their weapons drawn, for a moment, just the _tiniest_ moment, even John considered continuing the retreat without them, seeing the fine mess they had kited. Before they could carry out that dark fantasy, gunfire from behind could be heard. Bullets zoomed into the possessed Collectors and their minions, holding them back. Garrus ran to pick Tali and Kaidan up, arms around their shoulders as he got them back into a sprint before letting go. Turning around, the squad saw countless, _friendly_, Awakened Collectors giving them cover fire. Deciding not to question their salvation, they continued running.

_Six minutes._ The injured Assassns found themselves joined by Awakened Collectors holding them up and helping them run from the Base, occasionally shooting at the Possessed Collectors still under Reaper influence. Assuming that they were aligned with the Elite that took Frederico's gun, the Assassins took the blessing as it came to them and offered them biotic and tech power support.

_Six minutes._ The Collector Elite was now submerged in organic fluid, being constantly sliced open and prodded by machinery any sane member of the galactic community would call inhumane. Slowly, their original skin, their original organs, were being restored. They wondered if they had enough time. Then, everything grew dark.

_Five minutes._ The Shepards and company had nothing more in their way but an uphill charge. The slope was steep, and the path was wide, but up they marched, breathing heavily and picking up the pace, pushing their limits beyond what they thought they were capable of. The seconds ticked away.

_Five minutes._ The Assassins were almost there. The Collectors had guided them down an alternate route to the first tunnel where the second initial fireteam had marched through. Now following the ground team's steps, they could see the _Normandy_ dead ahead, floating just outside, getting ready to take off. "This is Alexander Clarke, I have Kairee and the Assassins are just behind me! Let us onboard!" Alexander cried, seeing the doors close too soon.

_Five minutes._ They could feel it. As chitin was removed, fluid rushed to flood the cavity. Metal bone coverings and cybernetics dissolved, flushing from the pod through filters. Marrow regenerated from scraps left on the sides of the interior bones, cells began to be born. Soft and hard tissue strengthened. Muscles, long deteriorated from millenia of disuse, changed slowly from a putrefied black to a robust red. _Four minutes_, cybernetics continued to be dissolved and washed away. Those that stuck around were cut out by the machines that once were responsible for creating Collectors. Organs, once replaced by tech, slowly found themselves being recomposed, rejuvenated, reactivated. Passageways throughout their body opened up, fluid rushing through to reawaken the dormant cells that had been restored. Then the nervous system reactivated. _Three minutes_, they screamed at the top of their now responsive lungs, bubbles shooting up to the surface as a sharp, strongly burning agony engulfed their body. It slowly crept up from their toes to envelop their calves, up to the thighs, then hips, then the entirety of their torso, their arms and hands. The only place they couldn't feel it was the inside of their head within seconds of that. Still, they tried not to move too quickly, clenching their fists and trying to focus on other things. Their eyes regained their sight in intervals. They were blinking. Cybernetic implants in their brain were being flushed out, and the fluid that surrounded them was soon integrated into the blood, the concentration lessening until naturally produced substances – plasma, blood cells, platelets – were the only thing left.

_Three minutes_. The metal arms and blades that pulled and sliced lifted away. They bolted upright, splashing a wave of fluid out of the pod as they gasped for her first breath of air in millenia, coughing and sputtering, as a new infant would do to clear their own lungs. She fell out of the pod and onto their hands and knees, crying, yet laughing at the same time at just how good _pain_ of all things felt after thousands of years of not feeling anything at all. In a way, they had just been born a second time. They stood up, reaching for the nearby table where she had laid Frederico's SMG. Nude they may be, they had no time to remedy that if they wanted to make their rebirth mean something.

_Re-. Again. Implying a second time. A second chance at life. A second chance to fight the Reaper threat. A second Cycle._

_ Two minutes._ Her name was Tulay. She would aid this new cycle in defeating the Reapers, in finishing the Solution. She would take her new freedom and crusade in the memory of her fallen people. A people that would appoint Avatars to embody a specific virtue. She grinned. That said, she knew exactly what she was. Correction and addendum; she was Tulay, Avatar of Justice.

_One minute. _The Shepards' team had made it up the hill and were approaching a dead end. A massive, ribbed chitin tunnel leading out into space, away from the Base. The _Normandy_ rose from the abyss, doors sliding open to reveal none other than _Joker_ with an M8 Avenger. He took aim at the Possessed Collectors and opened fire, the recoil cracking his bones. He cared little, only for the survival of his family. One Collector down, then two more in succession. A column of metal grazed the cliffside adjacent to the _Normandy_'s door, sliding away and into the abyss. Tali, Ashley, Kaidan, Garrus, and Wrex climbed aboard and entered the _Normandy_. A much larger boulder of debris fell, shattering the cliffside and cutting the _Normandy_ off from the Shepards. "John, launch me!" Jane shouted. John, without question, picked his sister up and fired a shockwave, propelling Jane through the air and into the _Normandy_.

_One minute._ The Assassins were forced to take a detour. The _Normandy_'s priority was always the Shepards. So Alexander and company had to go up a steep incline via freerunning to trail the _Normandy_ close behind. As it parked next to a cliff, Alexander could see members of the crew pile in, shortly before the cliff was destroyed, creating distance. "Alright, Joker, out of the way, we're going to have to jump it!" Alexander called. Joker fired a few more potshots at the Collectors and ducked back into the _Normandy_ as Jane flew in. Alexander, still carrying Kairee, used his biotics to push himself off the ground, sailing through the door. The Collectors who had severed the connection to the Reapers carried the wounded Assassins uphill, then helped them into the _Normandy_. Frederico used his biotics to yank Eleria off the ground and float her into the _Normandy_, doing the same to Lora before throwing himself, shoulder first, over the edge. He barely made it, slamming his bad shoulder into the floor and crying out. When the pain subsided, he laughed and cheered at his survival.

_Twenty seconds. _She was moving as fast as she could, and when she saw the _Normandy_ in all its splendor, she praised whatever power that existed. She could see Alexander with his Automattock, aiming out of the door and firing at Possessed Collectors, who had all but overpowered the Awakened Collectors. He saw her running, and he shouted something to his crewmates. The door stayed open as he switched to his pistol and held his hand out. John was still running for the ship, slowed down by the constant gunfire. Not willing to be die so close to victory, she charged forward, brilliant, peridot green biotic energy swirling around her. She slammed into a Collector's spine, snapping it and casting it off the cliff, using it as a launch pad to jump into the _Normandy_. She was promptly welcomed by the barrels of the crew's guns. She fell to her knees and gladly surrendered.

_Fifteen seconds._ It was John's last ditch effort. He felt the sole of his feet on the corner of the ledge. What may very well be his last action, and it had to be taking his first leap of faith. _Funny how that works,_ he thought as his feet left the ground, arms swinging through the air. He caught the ledge just barely, everything below his elbows hanging off the ship. Tali arrived to offer her hand, and she used all of her remaining strength to pull her Commander and lover back onto the _Normandy._ With that, the door closed.

_**"Detonation in ten, nine, eight," **_EDI cried, sounding genuinely worried.

"Yeah I get the gist of it, EDI!" shouted Joker. "Hold on!"

The _Normandy_ sped through a tunnel of chitin spires, zooming out of the side of the base, performing a barrel roll and zooming downward, towards the Mass Relay as the first of many explosions rocked the Collector Base.

Observing from any available windows or external camera viewing screens on the _Normandy_, the crew watched the fruits of their flawless labor.

…

Onboard the Collector Station, combat between the Possessed and the Awakened Collectors continued to the very end, when the Reapers released control over all Collectors remaining, knowing now that they cannot at least pull the _Normandy_ down with the Base. The recently Possessed looked about, finally tasting a sliver of freedom. Turning their heads, they saw blinding fire rushing their way.

One Collector raised his arm in salute to his long defeated Empire, laying his other hand to his chest. Others followed suit as they saw this. One final rite as a free people to honor their true home. As the fires engulfed the Base, the Protheans enslaved there died, truly free at last.

…

There was a extraordinary blaze of light and fire, accompanied by a shockwave that dissipated in the vacuum as soon as it formed. The entirety of the base detonated into a magnificent explosion that grew by the second. Already larger than some stars and still spreading, the intense, vaporizing heat struck the debris field, resulting in further explosions and the destruction of much of the debris. The _Normandy_ was forced to ride the wave to the Omega-4 Relay, blasting off into FTL.

It was all over.

The Collectors were a threat no longer.

The battle had been won.

* * *

Moving into the briefing room was a chore. There were several sparking wires and fallen beams in John's way as he climbed into the briefing room to broadcast a call to the Illusive Man. Figured he might as well flip the bird one last time before he took the _Normandy_ along with EDI, the crew, and the Apple of Eden.

The scanning system executed perfectly, and the two were broadcasted to each other. John was soon joined by Alexander and Miranda, who each had something to say to the Illusive Man. "Shepard," the Illusive Man said, tapping on his cigarette. "You are making a habit of costing me _more_ than time and money."

John smirked. Not-so-paragon thoughts ran through his mind. "Heh, I'm sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you. I'm getting a lot of bullshit on this line." Joker's giggling could be heard from the Comms.

"Don't try my patience," the Illusive Man replied, narrowing his eyes and blowing smoke from his mouth. "The technology from that base could have secured human dominance in the galaxy. Against the Reapers and beyond."

"Human dominance?" Alexander asked, stepping forward threateningly, "or just Cerberus?"

"Strength for Cerberus is strength for _every_ human, _Assassin. _Cerberus _IS_ Humanity!" the Illusive Man growled, standing up from his seat and walking closer to the three. "I should have known you'd choke on the hard decisions. Too idealistic from the start, and you've wasted your time with those Assassin dreamers!"

"We know what you are, Illusive Man. We know the price of dealing with you, too," Miranda said, jabbing a finger towards her now ex-boss.

"Miranda! You would betray everything we stand for? You would betray your own people? I gave you countless opportunities, Lawson! I have elevated you to such high standings in the ranks of Cerberus! You are a Templar icon!" the Illusive Man boomed, swinging his cigarette around, leaving smoke trails. "And now, this is my thanks? You let the Shepards destroy the one thing that could have secured our safety against the Reapers?"

"This isn't who I am. This isn't what I wanted to become, or what I wanted to do. After seeing what happened in there, no amount of technology is worth tens of thousands of souls," Miranda explained, rubbing her hands together anxiously.

John picked up from there. "We do things our way from now on. Are we clear? Harbinger is coming. He's not going to be alone. So I'm going to make sure we're ready when they get here. You can fall in line or step aside but _don't get in my way._"

"Don't you dare _command_ me that way, Shepard! You cost our entire race the surest chance of survival! Like hell I am falling in line with you!" the Illusive Man spat, crushing his cigarette in his fist, his cybernetic eyes twitching as his hand burned on the ashes. "This is insubordination! From you and Miranda both!"

"Not exactly insubordination. Consider this my resignation," Miranda quipped, shrugging lightly.

"If it hasn't occurred to you already, Illusive Man?" Alexander said, stepping in front of John. "We just essentially aborted a Reaper fetus. Pumped full of the gene sludge of tens of thousands of humans who went flailing and screeching in untold levels of agony. We watched a woman melt into slop, all while she kept pounding on the glass screaming to be let out. These are images I will never forget. This is what they did to _our people_. And for you to come in and say 'oh, well, oops, that's just collateral damage for the greater good!?'"

The Illusive Man grew exasperated in his impatience. "Their sacrifice would have been well noted when we vanquished the Reaper threat! What _you_ did, was make the deaths of those people in vain, Assassin! All for your moralistic _fallacies_ you let tens of thousands of people die, and ultimately go unnoticed!"

**"THEY WILL NEVER GO UNNOTICED! THEY DIED AS MARTYRS!"** Alexander screamed, at the top of his lungs. There was silence. For several seconds, nobody said a word. He continued, holding his head and stumbling back, inhaling through his teeth. "Maybe we won't have the technology from the base. Maybe we did make a mistake. But how _dare you_ assume that we won't tell their story to everyone who will lend an ear? How _dare you_ even _think_ that we won't remember the horrors we saw here today, and prevent them from happening again? _What the hell_ gave you the idea that we won't think back to this day and smile, when every last goddamn Reaper lay crushed in a heap of scrap metal?"

The Illusive Man didn't even bother to engage and feed the Assassin's ego. He redirected the conversation back to relevant topics. "And what of the Apple? You didn't use it to spare the base. Where is it?"

Alexander fished the device from his pouch and grinned slyly. "In the hands of the Assassins Brotherhood, now. **Burn in Hell, Illusive Man.**"

He stepped out of the call, his hologram disappearing from view. Miranda, having nothing more to say herself, did the same, leaving John alone with the Illusive Man. "I made you, Shepard. I brought you _back from the __**dead**_. Are you just going to blatantly throw that away? And disregard everything Cerberus fights for?" the Illusive Man said, making one last effort to reason with the Commander. "Are you turning your back on me?! Do NOT cut me off like last time! I failed to find it amus-"

"Whoops!"

The call dropped. There was deafening silence, broken periodically by the crackling of electricity from damaged wires. "Ah... that never gets old, does it?" Joker said from the bridge, wearing a pleased grin on his face and lightly grazing his index finger over the "end call" button on his console.

* * *

Dr. Karin Chakwas and Mordin Solus looked over their work. The first and second fireteams had come through for minor patchups for maladies ranging from burn ointment administration (Jacob) to bruise drainage (Grunt), from bandaging (Zaeed) and bone-setting (Joker) to immune diagnostics (Tali).

The _Assassins_ however were a _trip_. Eleria now stood straight, sporting a braced cast on her leg, leaning on a metal crutch for support. Frederico tenderly nursed his wounded shoulder, his arm held up in a sling. Lora had taken the least intense beating in the Collector Base, and sat on a table, off to the side, kicking her legs up and down and waiting for Chakwas's final statements. Kairee had long since passed out from exhaustion and minor blood loss, and was laid out on a less-than-properly cushioned operating table. Fortunately however, Chakwas had removed all projectiles and bandaged her up. For each of the Assassins with long-lasting injury, Chakwas had provided medicine of Mordin's design to speed the healing process. Beyond that, Mordin was of little help, due to him constantly oggling at the _Normandy_'s surprise guest, holding back the desire to dissect her. For science.

"Alright. I am glad you all made it," Chakwas said, hands behind her back. "Well most of you. Besides the one person who decided to skip medical attention to yell at the Illusive Man," she added, having earlier heard Alexander's earth-shattering roar from the Medbay. She cleared her throat as she heard the door open behind her, speaking of the Devil. "None of you are the picture of health, I cannot lie to you about that. But, thanks to your quick thinking and our medical resources, you will all make full recoveries. Please, do rest, and avoid strenuous activity. Eat healthy and get plenty of sleep, and you two will be out of your restraints in no time."

Alexander began to remove pieces of his armor, laying them down on the closest operating table to the door, adjacent to Kairee's. He flipped his hood off of his head and removed his visor, setting it aside and continuing with the process of taking off the armor that adorned his beaten body. Chakwas stood behind him, her arms crossed as she petulantly tapped her foot and drummed her fingers against his elbows, biting gently on the inside of her cheek. Alexander heard the patter of boots on metal behind him, and froze up immediately. The Good Doctor was Good and all, redundancy aside, but she was also a serious individual. "Oh, go ahead, Mr. Clarke, don't let my presence stop you. I want to see how much damage you accumulated."

Rolling his eyes, Alexander peeled the snow-white bodysuit off, rolling it down to reveal massive bruises on his back and right shoulder. Giant blotches of black that faded into purple, bordered by red and "dirty gold". He hissed painfully as he moved his bloody, battered arms to roll the bodysuit further. His legs were in only _slightly_ better shape, but there was one huge, Collector foot-shaped bruise on the inside of his thigh. Wearing nothing but athletic boxers, he turned to the doctor to reveal even more damage to his torso, in the form of cuts, lighter bruises, and shallow bullet holes from projectiles that made it through his armor.

Tulay, who was sitting in the back of the Medbay in a bathrobe, nursing a mug of coffee courtesy of the Gardner primitive, looked over at Alexander and took note of each of the wounds she was forced to inflict on him. With each one she counted she winced. She felt Kairee begin to stir, assigning two eyes to watch the Turian, keeping the other two eyes on Alexander and Chakwas.

Kairee opened her eyes to see Alexander's damaged body and fully awoke, gasping and trying to sit up. Mordin and Eleria held her down and tried to keep her calm as Chakwas sat Alexander down in her chair, wheeling him over to the medical diagnosis equipment. "How do you feel?" she asked, knowing he'd reply with something like:

"Well, I feel more tender than filet mignon right about now, and my entire head feels like it's in a woodshop vice that's on _really_ tight. If it were actually a vice, part of my skull would be fractured by now," he said, in oddly great detail for describing a splitting headache. He was even more strangely poker-faced about the whole ordeal.

"...Mr. Clarke," Mordin said, narrowing his eyes and placing a hand on his chin, cupping his elbow in the palm of his free hand. "The Sur'Kesh artifact. How many times did you use it and for how long?"

Chakwas supplemented this question with another. "Yes, and how often did you use your biotic abilities this time around? Or your Eagle Sense? Or anything taxing, really?

Alexander kept quiet for a moment, looking at his fellow Assassins expectantly, as if they'd try to bail him out. After a long silence and a stern look from Chakwas, Alexander answered honestly. "Twice used the Apple. Once for a few minutes, twice for a few seconds, but it felt like longer. I lost count of how many times I used biotics. I used Eagle Sense for almost three quarters of the mission for navigational purposes."

Mordin sniffed. And not just the usual "catch my breath" sniff, but a long, deliberately-paced, drawn out, _absolutely __nettled sniff._ "Mr. Clarke."

"Yes?"

"You are an idiot."

"Ah."

Chakwas walked over to her desk and popped open a drawer, fishing out a blindfold used for sleep-aid, and tossed it to Alexander. "Wear that. Give your eyes and mind rest. Headache or migraine sufferers can often be sensitive to light. I will remedy the cuts and try to drain the hematomas. Mordin, please retrieve a bag of O- blood from our mini-bank."

Alexander applied the blindfold while Chakwas set to work on the open cuts. She dabbed a cotton pad in isopropyl alcohol. There were easier, more modern ways of dealing with sterilizing wounds. This was effective _and_ punishment for Alexander's arrogance and near-suicidal approach to the mission. She simpered as she applied the pad and felt Alexander tense up, but sighed when he didn't say a word of protest or otherwise make some kind of pained sound. So, it was just effective. The man was stoic, she'd give him that. After rubbing the cuts, she took a needle and punctured Alexander's considerably large bruises. "These hematomas are too large for simple Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. I'm going to drain them instead. I can administer RICE along with some painkillers afterwards. Just tell me how you're feeling so I know if this was a bad idea."

That last statement worried Alexander, who for a moment thought he was being Robin Hood'ed. "Still hurting, but I feel fine in the way of balance." Chakwas cleaned the blood that oozed from the puncture mark, noting that it left the body fairly quickly.

"Your blood pressure is rather high," she said.

"He's going to be okay, right?" Kairee asked, worried beyond belief for Alexander's well-being. "Can you see without the blindfold? You didn't go blind, did you? How much blood did you lose earlier? Oh spirits, you won't have a stroke will you?!"

Mordin tapped her on the shoulder and held a finger over his lips.

The process was a bit tedious, but his bruises faded over the course of the drainage procedure, especially once a coagulant was introduced. Replacement blood had been introduced halfway through, when Alexander reported dizziness. After draining was complete, Chakwas took an ultrasound wand, waving it over Alexander's stomach, loosening the medigel that had binded to his cut. She took sterile gauze bandages and wrapped them tightly around his abdomen, tying it off at his back. She then ran further medical diagonistics, and after dealing with the bruises and open wounds, Alexander had no further problems aside from the headache that would naturally subside. As soon as Chakwas put down her tools and disposed of her gloves she clapped her hands together. "You're good to go! Do as I told the apprentices earlier and you'll be fine. Now, care to explain to us how our stowaway got here?" she asked, gesturing to Tulay, who was very much Prothean.

Alexander and Tulay's eyes met, and instantly they knew that whatever that Apple had done was far from illusion. "Words are cheap?" he said, and Tulay smirked, nodding in return.

"Cheap can also mean inexpensive. They deserve a speedy summary," came the ironic response, followed by a brusque sip of coffee and a mild grimace at the foreign drink.

_Christ, first thing you drink in the span of time only measurable by K's and you still feel disdain? Is Rupert that bad, _Alexander mused to himself, before addressing Chakwas. He explained to her what the Apple had done. It had activated, and sent him into a white void, he said, similar to what he saw in the Animus Cerberus had installed below Miranda's office. The Collector he had been battling was freed from Harbinger's influence for a moment, and the Prothean had spoken to him, and showed him visions of how she came to be a Collector. He explained in brief that he had proceeded to kill the Collector General and freed most of the Collectors in the Base. Tulay, as the Prothean called herself, ran in Collector form to some unseen location, and must have come out as a Prothean again.

Tulay clarified in perfect English, saying that she had visited the conversion facilities that had since laid dormant, and reversed the synthesis process, using organic material from the Base to restore their former body. She expressed surprise that it even worked, and laughed delightedly when she remarked on how she had made it to the ship in time. It seemed impossible, probably because it was.

That was when Kairee reminded her that they had previously thought they had gone on a suicide mission, only for nobody to actually die.

With that, Mordin was first to welcome Tulay aboard, and requested private conversation after everything had settled down. With their injuries patched for the time being, the Assassins took their leave, heading out to assist in recovery in any way they could. "We're free to leave?" Alexander asked. Chakwas thought about it for a moment.

"Are your rooms completely devastated, unlike the Medbay?"

"No?"

"…you're looking through your blindfold aren't you?"

"I might be."

"…fine, go. Sheesh, Mordin must be right," Chakwas said, taking her chair back and sliding over to her terminal to fill out some documents to record the incident.

* * *

**Epilogue**

The ship was on a cruise course for the Citadel. Fireteam members worked diligently to move debris aside or remove it entirely to tidy up the ship. Commanders John and Jane Shepard walked with each other, greeting Thane as he ran by to help Crewman Hawthorne move a beam of ruined metal back into the ship while Samara held open a biotic barrier. The two proceeded, and were followed by the eyes of the countless members of the crew and ground squad that took notice of them. Respectful nods and salutes went their way. Joker, of all people, spotted John and had a double-take, standing up with a datapad in hand. Without a word, he handed it to John, who along with Jane noted that they were schematics on Harbinger.

The First Reaper, the largest Reaper. Surely, if he were as this information said he was, then the Reaper Armada had to be similar. A thought crossed their minds. How many Cycles before this one? How many Reapers had been constructed from the remains of ancient civilizations? What _were_ they facing?

Their eyes caught a glimmer of light from the closest star the _Normandy_ was passing. The black expanse of space, dotted with cosmic lights. Gargantuan, but ultimately nothing special, in the eyes of the Reapers. Ever determined, they stared out into that expanse, ready for whatever the future had to throw at them. Not just the two twins. The _Normandy_, and all who served on board, and all who would join them down the road. They weren't just friends, but family. And family is fated to stay together throughout any tribulation.

So shall it be, they would face _them_ together.

* * *

**Oh thank GOD. I'm going to be frank with you, I didn't think I'd ever get around to this! I'm going on 30,000 words here, and I'm probably going to surpass it by the time I'm done with this note.**

**That about wraps up Mass Effect: Creed's first saga! Now, before I say "I need a break," I want to apologize for the **_**unofficial**_** one that I took just before 2015's summer vacation ended. I wanted to work on other things. I had no inspiration to keep going with Masscreed at the time. I had school and family business to attend to.**

**But no further excuses. I should have at least said something to the few people who actively watch me. You know who you are.**

**I wanted to say thank you to the couple of people who voted anonymously on my poll earlier (way earlier) last year. The number one result was of course, nobody, but I think the idiotic comment about bandwagoning may have set up bandwagon bias or pity vote bias.**

**If it is of any consolation, Jacob and Miranda, the two Cerberus Cheerleaders, got voted to die by a couple of people. Frederico and Lora (aka Assassin Jacob and Miranda) had one vote each, and then somebody actually voted for JACK of all people to die.**

**Alright. Poll aside. Just another thank you to everybody who favorited and followed this story. An another thing! If you want me to rewrite some unsatisfactory chapters, please leave a comment/review telling me what chapter should be targetted and tell me **_**why**_**.**

**I will be posting this on Archive of Our Own shortly after publishing on FanfictionNet.**

**I may come back and write a sixteenth celebration chapter to make up for all of the holidays that I missed, since it is indeed December by the time the Suicide Mission was launched in Masscreed canon. But for now, take one last bonus scene in which I explain my recent justification for the names I used for the original characters.**

**And by the by. Mini-game time. I am writing another fanfiction. This one is about another thing I loved deeply. Scattered in this chapter are numerous references to it. Different references, same source. In a comment/review, see if you can spot them all and then tell me what they are referencing!**

* * *

**Extrapologue**

There was a silence in Kairee's cabin, one of the few rooms that had not collapsed partially or sustained visible damage. Alexander opened the door and carried the fatigued Turian inside, laying her down softly on her bed, underneath her comforter.

As Alex turned to walk away, with full intent to find some spare clothes and to go assist in the reconstruction, he felt Kairee's hand grasp at his fingers. He stopped, looking over his shoulder. "No," she said. Alex's eyebrow lifted inquisitively, and she continued. "Please, just stop it. You're using Eagle Sense after Chakwas told you not to. You're seeing through a damn eyemask, you're carrying me around with wounded arms on sore, shaking legs. You're not fit to work like the others are."

Alexander couldn't say anything in reply. Words wouldn't leave his lips. He knew it was a pride thing. He didn't want to look weak in front of Kairee. He supposed that was a little bit of Eldar leaking through. Sighing heavily he shook his head, Eagle Sense fading. Everything grew dark again.

He heard the covers shift. "Lay down with me. Quit working for once. The Collectors are gone, and we've won."

"There's still the Reapers to deal with. I've seen the last Cycle. We're not ready, I can help, the Shepards and I both can-"

"Will we ever be ready?"

He had to concede to that point. Hand tightening around Kairee's fingers, he crawled into bed, slowly wrapping his arms around her waist. Kairee gently pulled his head to lie on her chest, running her fingers through his hair. They stayed like that for several minutes, drifting towards sleep until suddenly, with Kairee deciding that she didn't want to miss a thing, spoke up. "Alex?"

He jolted awake. An affirmative mumble could be heard. "…say my name."

Alexander furrowed his brow, trying to understand the meaning behind that request. "Kairee?"

She smiled and hugged him just a bit tighter, breathing slowly and deeply. "Does that name mean anything in your languages?" she asked, genuinely curious.

He had to give that one some thought. "Greek," he said. "K-y-r-i-e, meaning 'Lord.' As in 'God.' I think… Kaire, that means 'Grace.' Then K-a-i-r-i means 'song' or 'melody,'" he explained. He chuckled and rubbed her back. "So, very loosely, combining all those meanings? I could call you 'song of God's grace.'"

Kairee tensed up for a moment, prompting Alex to ask what was wrong. "It's nothing… just, my mother. She had that same idea in mind when I was born," she said, sniffling. "When I was a little girl, before dad… y'know. People liked to pick on my for my name, said it was funny. I asked my mom why she called me Kairee and you know what she said? She told me, 'Kairee? I know it doesn't sound very Turian, because it's very old. There's this ancient spirit of love and grace, named Kairios. She let me have you when I didn't think I could have a baby. You're my little miracle, and you're named after the spirit who allowed you to come into being. You're my little 'Song of Kairios'.'"

She was tearing up. Alexander patted her back, carefully caressing her. She quickly regained her composure. "What does your name mean, Alexander?"

"It's also Greek. It means 'defender of men' or 'defender of the people,'" he said.

Kairee nuzzled his cheek. "It's very fitting," she remarked. "Fitting of a man like yourself. Someone who's stronger than titanium that would do anything and everything at once if it meant protecting people. And you joined the Assassins to basically be a protector of the people, right?" she explained. She chuckled, "And as an added bonus that I'm unsure about the relevancy of… you're handsome."

Alexander closed his eyes, not that it mattered with the blindfold. He traced little circles on Kairee's lower back. "I think your name's fitting as well. By the human meanings… you're definitely a godsend to me. I don't think I'd ever have pulled through this mission if I didn't have someone who's got my back the way you do. By the Turian meaning, 'Song of Kairios?' You _are_ like a song to me. A beautiful, inspirational song." He grinned. There was a pause. "And you're kind of like a bird, right? Can I call you 'Songbird?' Like how Ashley calls John 'Skipper' and Kasumi hands out nicknames like candy in a classroom?"

Kairee barely understood any of that except for the fact that her lover just called her a bird outside of British Human context. And that he just gave her an adorable nickname. She was about to slap him on the shoulder and play faux-offended, but she remembered his injuries and settled for a completely false grunt of frustration. "I love you, Alex."

"Love you too, Songbird."


End file.
